Symptoms
- Abnormally placed urinary opening
- Downward curvature of the penis (chordee)
- Spraying or downward urinary stream
- Incomplete foreskin on the underside
Causes and risk factors
- Incomplete development of the urethra during pregnancy
- Hormonal and genetic influences
Diagnosis
- Clinical examination at birth or in infancy
- Assessment for undescended testis
- Ultrasound of the urinary tract in severe forms
Treatment
- Single-stage urethroplasty (TIP repair)
- Staged repair for severe cases
- Chordee correction
- Ideal age is 6 to 18 months
Prevention
- Not preventable — the priority is timely diagnosis and repair
- Do not circumcise before urology review; the foreskin may be needed for repair
Recovery
A small catheter stays for about a week. Children usually recover quickly, with follow-up to confirm a good stream and cosmetic result.
Information on this website is for patient education only and does not replace an in-person consultation. Treatment results vary between individuals and no outcome is guaranteed.