Hypospadias Treatment

Experts in the department of urology at Herzliya Medical Center carry out treatment of hypospadias in Israel. Patients have access to the best urologists in the country and provided with excellent services and treatment by professional medical staff. Herzliya Medical Center for many years been a leader in high quality and safety.

What is Hypospadias?

The normal urethral opening is located at the tip of the penis. Hypospadias is a pathology characterized by abnormal anatomical location of the urethral opening of the penis. Abnormality of urethral structure is capable of having a significant effect on bladder function in children and the effect may continue in later years, as well as the health of seminal fluid.

Hypospadias is a birth defect that occurs during the formation of the genitals, generally caused by an intra-uterine hormonal imbalance or inherited genetic mutation. There has been a high correlation observed between hypospadias occurrence and maternal age (over 40 years). Additionally, scientists have discovered damaging effects of certain chemicals including that of nicotine linked to higher risk of having a child with hypospadias. In some cases, the cause of hypospadias remains unclear. Secondary hypospadias, present among adults, is considered a relatively rare disease that is caused by lesions, including trauma to the glans (tip of the penis).

Symptoms and Diagnosis of Hypospadias

Usually hypospadias is diagnosed in the first days of the baby’s life, when parents or physicians observe urination. In mild cases, the output of the urethra comes directly from under the head of the penis. More severe symptoms of malformation are characterized by localization of the urethra opening being in the middle of the penis or at the base (near the scrotum). In most cases, hypospadias does not cause any pain and often does not threaten the overall health of the newborn.

As the child grows and develops, they may display the following symptoms if effected by hypospadias:

• Changes in appearance of the penis, accompanied by progressive curvature in a downward direction
• Inability to urinate steady stream during urination- spattering urine
• Children having difficulty adapting socially among peers; beginning in early childhood, but may get progressively difficult during adolescence, noting the presence of appreciable anatomical and physiological abnormalities, accompanied by developing psychological problems and certain complexes
• Difficulties in the release of semen in adulthood. Lacking ability to deeply penetrate for release of sperm (particularly if opening is at the base of the penis) may cause male infertility
• In adulthood sexual difficulties as a result of physiological (curvature of the penis), or mental difficulties

Procedures completed in early childhood allow patients to eliminate the possibility of future complications associated with hypospadias. Today, timely treatment performed by experts in the Department of Urology at Herzliya Medical Center have patients experiencing positive results.

Diagnosis of hypospadias in Israel is conducted by highly skilled pediatricians and pediatric urologist’s who evaluate patients based on their medical history, professional examination, and identification of symptoms of the anatomical abnormality effecting the patient’s daily life. In some severe cases, complex malformations of the sexual organs make it necessary to employ supplemental methods of investigation to make plans for treatment, which may the use of ultrasound, endoscopic, and radiological diagnostic tools.

Hypospadias Surgery at HMC

The decision to seek hypospadias treatment in Israel is guided by specialists in the pediatric urology department at HMC on an individual basis. Recommendations for surgery are made dependent upon the patient’s age. Most young patients who undergo hypospadias procedures are between 10 months to 3 years of age. Urologists emphasize to families that the younger the child is when treated for hypospadias, the more likely they are to have a successful outcome from surgery and a fast postoperative recovery period. In some cases of hypospadias, patients may be of mature age, for which experts at Herzliya Medical Center take great care in their approach to treat patients who require repeat surgery, for those that were unsuccessful in their history.

Hypospadias Treatment Process

• Surgery is performed under general anesthesia and lasts from 1-3 hours
• During the procedure, movement of the opening of the urethra to be localized at the anatomical head of the penis is surgically carried out
• Implementation of necessary plastics are used as pathological skin implants, to patch and restructure tissue
• In the second phase of urological surgery for hypospadias in Israel, restructuring and/or straightening of the abnormally shaped penis is facilitated to restore its normal form

Use of the latest developments in surgical techniques for hypospadias treatment has allowed experts to the Department of Urology at Herzliya Medical Center to achieve positive results among children and in cases that are treated in adulthood, patients are advised to undergo a re-correcting procedure in order to achieve the optimal benefit from treatment.

The Department of Urology at Herzliya Medical Center is one of the most famous medical departments in the country, successful at performing urological surgeries for treatment of hypospadias at any stage of the disease with minimal risk of complication. Medical experts working in the urology department of the hospital have a great deal of clinical experience, treating hundreds of patients each year from around the world. Procedures implement the latest research findings and incorporate the most advanced technology and the most modern medicines in Israel.