Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Hello Martin,
    
    my son is now 10 years old and had this surgery done when he was
    7. 
    
    It sounds like he had the same level of Hipo-spadia (I am Italian
    so I have also problems with spelling) that is just below the tip
    of the penis. In the hospital they had some boys (even 15 or 16
    years old) that were going through this operation for the third
    time, but they had the urethra which opened at the base of the 
    penis so they had to "build" more.
    
    The doctors (both Americans and Italians) sugegsted me to make
    this surgery because it could cause a problem in having erections,
    besides the cosmetical side.
    
    I waited longer to have it done, because I knew it was going to be
    not a very easy surgery and I wanted for him to understand a little
    better that I was not bad to him, but I just wanted to help him.
    
    The surgery itself didn't take a very long time, but of course
    you have to put up with your boy when he find out he has "catetere"
    (sp?) and that he cannot get up from the bed. It took a while for
    him to get adjusted to the feeling and had to stay in bed for 
    few days. 
    
    The first time he peed with his brand new penis he cried alot
    because it burned and so he did for other few times. 
    
    I will say that in few weeks everything passes, but I will not suggest
    do have a small boy going through these things. Maybe in the US
    they have different ways of doing it, but this is my experience.
    
    Anyway I think I remember that the doctors said not to have it done
    after they are 8 years old. I could be mistaken.
    
    Hope this helps you and hope I explained it in a clear way.
    
    Have a nice week-end
    
    Marinella
    
    

    My 3 1/2 year old son was born with hypospadius.  In his case, the 
    opening was at the base of his penis.  As a result, the urethra had 
    to be constructed through his penis.

    His operation was performed when he was 15 months old.  We spent a
    very difficult 2 weeks in the hospital. Fortunately, he recovered
    quickly and has no recollection of the operation (as far as I can
    tell).  He was, however, a little nervous around doctors & nurses
    for awhile.  He's fine now.

    While in the hospital, we met an older boy (6 years old) who also
    had surgery for hypospadius.  It seemed to be much harder on him
    because he missed his friends and couldn't get out of bed to play.
    He also seemed pretty self-conscious of the surgery.

    If you have any questions about the surgery, feel free to send me
    mail.
    
    Kathy

    My son had a "first degree" or the mildest form of hypospadius, along with 
    some bowel deformities (mentioned in some other notes).  His was corrected 
    in three separate operations, but the majority (cosmetic) part of it was 
    done at birth, in conjunction with the colostomy.  His urologist was very 
    precise and did not circumcise him until the final surgery, where he also 
    did something he discribed as an "artificial errection" to make sure it 
    would be straight.  AJ had other urinary problems, I can only hope your 
    doctor has ruled other problems out.  He had a partial obstruction at
    the base of the penis which created major problems inserting a foley
    catheter, along with reflux to the kidneys which eventually had to be
    sugically corrected by "reimplanting" the ureters into the kidneys. I
    guess the main point I'm trying to make here is be absolutely sure
    you've got a real competent *PEDI* urologist!
    
    I'd be willing to chat with you off line if you need support, but let
    us all know the outcome of the surgery.
    
    Lyn
    

    Hi,
    
    My 5 1/2 week old son has a similar condition.  The Urologist called it
    a dorsal hood.  His foreskin is also not joined underneath and he also
    has what is called a cordee (the penis is bent slightly because the
    skin is too taught).  The Urologist explained that the operation was
    basically cosmetic, but if not done, it could cause my son to have
    problems urinating later in life.  Right now he doesn't seem to have a
    problem urinating and it seems to be going in the right direction (he's
    "sprayed" me a couple of times ;-] ).  The Urologist also explained
    that it could straighten out on it's own and they'd like to wait until
    he's a year old before they do anything.  I will definately have it
    corrected when he's a year old if it hasn't straightened out on it's
    own.  If it has, he will be circumsized at that time (they couldn't
    circumsize him because they need the forskin if they have to perform
    the surgery).  They use a local anesthetic and it's virtually painless,
    at least that's what the Urologist says. :-)
    
    Lori B. 

    
    Alexander had a successful operation, and we have all now recovered
    from the experience. I would like to thank those that have given
    encouragement both in notes and offline.
    
    This operation is the first of 2. In this one the surgeons cut a deep
    groove from the hole to the tip of the penis, then lined it with a skin
    graft from his foreskin. A peice of gauze was then sewed into the
    groove to stop it from healing up. The second operation, to sew the sides
    of the groove together to form a tube, will be done in a few months
    time.
    
    The hospital stay was an experience. He had just gone to sleep when
    they woke him up to give him the pre-med. He then cried for the three
    hours until they were ready for him. The anaesthetist couldn't find a
    vein in his hand so gassed him to sleep, and when he came back the drip
    was in his foot. Despite all promises to the contrary he woke up as
    soon as he got back to the ward, despite being given heavy drugs. He
    was rather upset at the drip which was eventually taken out after
    sitting for four hours on my lap. He fell asleep an hour later and
    slept till 6am, I was on the ward with him. My wife stayed during the
    day but slept with friends. However the next day he slept from 11am to
    3pm then spent a happy day running around with me carrying his catheter
    bag! It caused a few raised eyebrows. That night was a long one with
    him (and me) awake from 1am till 5am, with a little help from the
    nurses.
    
    But we survived and the graft appears to have taken, so I can now
    hardly wait till the next time.
    
    
    
    
    
    

    Hi,
    
    I am the author of .4.  My son is now a year old and will be having the
    surgery to correct his hypospadius/dorsal hood on the 13th of
    September.  He saw the Urologist last Friday and upon examination had
    an erection to which the doctor said was perfectly straight (the cordee
    has corrected itself).  He explained to me that what my son had was
    called a glandular hypospadius which is only common in 20% of males. 
    He also explained that the operative procedure was very minor where
    just a small incision would be made and the original "hole" would be
    sewn closed using his foreskin for grafting.  My son will not have to
    spend any time in the hospital aside from the actual operation and a
    couple hours recovery time.  The doctor said that he would be in
    "agony" for a day or so, but should be okay within 3-4 days.
    
    I was wondering if anyone else's son has been through minor hypospadius
    correction surgery and if so, how long before they were back to
    "normal".
    
    Lori B. 

    Lori, I've been there.  AJ's was considered "minor", and he did well. 
    His was done in three stages, none of which I remember as being
    particularly "agonizing".  Keep in mind kids bounce back quick, tylenol
    is usually all they need for pain, and I saw him standing up in his
    crib two days after having his ureters reimplanted, he had a scar
    similar to a Csection, and millions of tubes, catheters etc.  He was
    not in any major pain!  More important he won't remember the pain or
    surgery, since he's so young.
    
    Catch me off line if you need to chat more.
    
    Where's he having the surgery?
    
    Lyn
    296-4629
    

    Lyn,
    
    I don't understand.  Why did AJ have a scar?  Did he have to stay in
    the hospital for any length of time?  Like I said, my son's urologist
    explained the surgical procedure to me and not once did he mention
    having to cut Shane other than making an incision in the head of his
    penis, not once did he mention tubes or catheters.  Is this something
    that I should be concerned about?  Is this something that I should call
    and talk with the Urologist about before the surgery?
    
    Shane will be having the surgery done at Burbank Hospital in Fitchburg. 
    His Urologist is Dr. David Diamond who came highly recommended.
    
    Lori B.

    Lori, didn't mean to make it sound so awful.  AJ's sugery was also done
    by David Diamond, he IS just such a great person.  
    
    The scar I mentioned was when he had to have both his ureters
    reimplanted in his kidneys.  He has a severe urine reflux, and two
    UTI's before he was 4 months old, so we opted for the surgery.  His
    second complication for the H/S came from an extremely thick membrane,
    which was further up, towards his body.  Everytime they wanted to
    insert a catheter, for testing or surgery the membrane prevented the
    catheter from being inserted the "normal" way.  He had to have a
    Suprapubic catheter during his other sugeries for repair of the bowel
    defect.  Dr. Diamond eventually, in coordination with one of his bowel
    surgeries, surgically eliminate the membrane, and he hasn't had a problem
    since.
    
    All I can say is trust the doctor, he's been dealing with AJ since he
    was only a couple hours old, and has done wonderful things by us!
    (In fact please tell him I, and AJ, were asking about him!)
    
    Lyn

    Thanks for the encouraging words Lyn, I will let Dr. Diamond know that
    you said, "Hi".  I'm sure that Shane's surgery will be okay.  It's just
    that after reading the previous replies, I became a little aprehensive. 
    Not one person said that their son had the surgery done on an
    outpatient basis, and it surprised me that Dr. Diamond said that Shane
    didn't have to be admitted.  I guess Shane's hypo spadius isn't as
    severe as the other's in here.
    
    Lori

    Well, Shane had his surgery on Friday.  Everything went well.  The
    Doctor had to do what he called a "Mag-Pie" procedure (I giggled when
    he said this as all I could think of was Heckle and Jeckyl) and it took
    a little over an hour (I was told Shane would be in surgery for about
    45 minutes).  Shane came out of recovery as if he didn't just have
    surgery, he was singing his usual "la la la" song and swaying back and
    forth.  The nurses got a kick out of that. :-)  He's still swollen and
    red and I anticipate he'll be that way for a few more days, but his new
    little penis looks so much better than it did before! 
    
    Lori B.
    
    P.S. Lyn, Dr. Diamond said to give A.J. a big hug for him.