Hypospadias

Abstract

Hypospadias is a developmental anomaly characterized by a urethral meatus that opens onto the ventral surface of the penis, proximal to the end of the glans. The meatus may be located anywhere along the shaft of the penis, from the glans to the perineum [1]. Three associated anomalies are classically found in the hypospadiac penis: (1) an ectopic opening of the urethral meatus located at any place between the glans and the base of the penis, (2) a ventral curvature of the penis (chordee), and (3) a hooded foreskin with a marked excess of skin on the dorsum of the penis and a lack of skin on the ventrum. In fact, the chordee and the hooded foreskin are not constant, and a hypospadiac meatus may be found under a normally formed prepuce.