What is hypospadias? Hypospadias is one of the most common abnormalities of the pediatric genitourinary system, affecting approximately 1 in 250 newborns. There are generally 3 abnormalities in penile development: 1. Ectopic urethral opening: the opening is on the ventral side of the penis, on the pathway from the proximal end of the normal urethral opening to the perineum. The closer the location of the urethral opening to the scrotum or perineum, the more severe the hypospadias. 2. Downward bending of the penis. The closer the opening position is to the glans, the lighter the degree of bending is generally, or even no bending. Shenyang Children’s Hospital Surgery Peng Xu 3. Abnormal distribution of foreskin: the ventral foreskin of the head of the penis fails to fuse in the midline, and all the foreskin is concentrated in a cap-like accumulation on the dorsal side of the head of the penis. Note: For severe hypospadias, especially in cases with cleft scrotum, chromosomal examination and gonadal examination must be performed before surgery to confirm the gender to exclude hermaphroditism. What are the causes of hypospadias? 1. There is a certain family tendency for the development of hypospadias, which may be related to various genetic factors. 2.It is related to the deficiency of gonadotropin. In recent years, the incidence of hypospadias has increased due to environmental pollution and the massive use of chemical fertilizers and growth promoters in crops. 4.The application of hormones that promote pregnancy or protect the fetus during the mother’s preconception and pregnancy also has an effect on the development of the fetal reproductive system. What are the dangers of hypospadias? Hypospadias is often accompanied by downward bending of the penis or pain during erection. If left uncorrected, children with severe hypospadias need to urinate in a sitting position and avoid intimate contact with the opposite sex due to fear of sex. The fertility of a person with hypospadias depends on the number of sperm produced and the quality of sperm, and only a certain number of normal sperm will conceive and give birth. The presence of fertility in a patient with hypospadias can only be determined by examining the sperm in adulthood, where normal endocrine development is the key. There are now cases of marriage and childbirth among the patients with hypospadias that we treat. V. What are the current methods of treating hypospadias At present, surgery is the only and best treatment for hypospadias. Except for a very small number of cases where the opening of the urethra is located at the head of the vagina and there are no obvious abnormalities in the shape of the penis, the head of the penis and the distribution of the foreskin, all of the following urethra need to be treated surgically.