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Hypospadias

Identifying and Treating This Male Genital Anomaly

By Donna Smith

ing is located near or within the glans, success rates are now greater than 90 percent where this should be the last surgery that the child requires for the remainder of his life," he says. "In cases that fail, repeat surgery maybe necessary. In more severe cases, where two or more surgeries may be needed, success rates are lower."

Newhouse says she was unprepared for how serious the surgery would be. "I don't think most pediatricians or family doctors really know the depths or consequences of each person's decision to do or not to do surgery and how important it is to get the right surgeon for both mild and severe cases," she says. After getting a second opinion at the Children's Hospital in Denver, Colo., Newhouse opted not to have surgery performed on her son. "I've realized the placement of the hole on a boy or man's penis doesn't define who he is," she says. "After Denver we've decided the best thing for our son is not to have surgery and leave him as God made him – 'perfect.'"

The treatment options given to Schmidt were either surgery or do nothing and hope he adjusts to not being able to urinate standing up and having a slightly bent penis. She opted for the surgery, which is scheduled when he is 9 months old. "I don't want this to affect him psychologically, and I don't want him to feel different from other boys," she says. "We feel that surgery gives him the best shot at that."

According to Dr. Nguyen, surgery is best done before the age of 2 (optimal between 6 months and 18 months) due to toilet training and separation anxiety. Complications could include fistula formation (a connection between the skin and the newly created urethra), bleeding and infection.

Want to see more?

• Making the Cut: Rethinking Newborn Circumcision
• The AAP's Circumcision Recommendations
• Newborn Circumcision: A Parent's Guide to Proper Care
• Talk about it!