What does corrective surgery involve?
The precise method of surgery is constantly evolving, and there are several different surgical techniques for hypospadias and epispadias. However, there are two basic goals of corrective surgery: (1) To straighten the penis (if chordee is present); (2) To extend the urethra to the tip of the penis. Straightening the penis typically involves cutting tissue that is pulling on the tip of the penis and causing it to bend toward the shaft. Extending the urethra can be more complicated, depending on the severity of the condition. Tissue grafts (often from the foreskin) are typically used to create an artificial urethra that will be inserted inside the penis, joining the existing urethra to a man-made opening created at the tip of the penis. Mild cases may be treated in a single operation, whereas more severe cases typically require multiple surgeries.
