WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What do I need to know about hypospadias repair? Hypospadias repair is surgery to repair your child's urethra or curved penis. How do I prepare my child for surgery? Your healthcare provider will talk to you about how to prepare your child for surgery. He may tell you not to let your child eat or drink anything after midnight on the day of his surgery. He will tell you what medicines to give or not give on the day of your child's surgery. What will happen during my child's surgery? - General anesthesia will keep your child asleep and free from pain during surgery. Your child's surgeon will make an incision around your child's penis. This loosens the skin and helps your child's penis to straighten. The surgeon may use a piece of foreskin or tissue from another area to make your child's urethra longer. He will then create a new opening for your child's urethra at the tip of his penis.
- The surgeon will place a catheter in your child's urethra to keep it open and drain urine while it heals. The catheter will be attached to the penis with small stitches. Urine will drain into your child's diaper. If your child is older, he may have a drainage bag to collect his urine. Your child's surgeon may cover your child's penis with a bandage.
What are the risks of surgery? Your child may bleed more than expected or get an infection. His incision wound may not heal properly. He may develop a small opening from his urethra to his skin called a fistula. Scarring may develop in your child's urethra and cause trouble urinating. Your child's penis may remain curved, even after surgery. He may still have problems urinating. Your child may be unhappy with how his penis looks. He may have trouble with sexual activity when he is older. |