Your son had hypospadias repair to fix a birth defect in which the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to outside the body) does not end at the tip of the penis. The type of repair your son had depends on how severe his birth defect was. This may be his first surgery for this problem or it may be a follow-up procedure.
Your son received general anesthesia before surgery to make him unconscious and unable to feel pain.
Your child may feel sleepy when you first come home. He may not feel like eating or drinking at first. He may also feel sick to his stomach or throw up the same day he had surgery.
Your son’s penis will be swollen and bruised. This will get better after a few weeks. But, it will take up to 6 months to heal completely.
Your child may need a urinary catheter for 5 to 14 days after the surgery.
If your son has a catheter, he may have bladder spasms. These may hurt, but they are not harmful. If your son does not have a catheter, peeing may be uncomfortable the first day or 2 after surgery.
Your child's doctor may write a prescription for some medicines:
Your son may eat a normal diet. Make sure he drinks plenty of fluids. Fluids help keep the urine clean.
A dressing will be wrapped around your son’s penis. Usually it will have a clear plastic cover over it.
Some oozing from the penis is normal. You may see some spotting on the dressings, diaper, or underpants. If your son is still in diapers, ask your nurse about how to use two diapers instead of one.
Do not use powders or ointments anywhere in the area before asking your child’s doctor if it is okay.
Your child’s doctor will probably ask you to take off the dressing after 2 or 3 days and leave it off. You may do this while your son is in the bath. But, be very careful not to pull on the urine catheter. You will need to change the dressing before this if:
Infants may do most of their normal activities except for swimming or playing in a sandbox. It is fine to take your baby for walks in the stroller.
Older boys should avoid contact sports, riding bicycles, straddling any toys, or wrestling for 3 weeks. It is a good idea to keep your son home from preschool or daycare the first week after his surgery.
Call the doctor or nurse if your child has:
Also call the doctor if:
Borer JG, Retik AB. Hypospadias. In: Wein AJ, ed. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 125.
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Scott Miller, MD, Urologist in private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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