What is hypospadias?

Also known as: distal hypospadias, proximal hypospadias.

Urine normally flows from the bladder through a tube (the urethra) to the outside of the body. Normally the opening of the urethra is at the tip of the penis.

Hypospadias is a structural birth defect (congenital) that results in the opening of the penis not being at its tip; its opening being anywhere on the underside of the penis between the scrotum and the lower underside of the penis.

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Reviewed by: Jack Wolfsdorf, MD, FAAP

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM