Letter from Afghanistan: 8 month old child undergoes successful hypospadias repair surgery at Hypospadias Foundation in Navi Mumbai, India

Hello Dr A.K.Singal,

My feedback from my baby’s operation at Hypospadias Foundation & MITR hospital in Navi Mumbai, Kharghar, sector 21:

When I was told by  my baby’s doctor at the time of birth that he had hypospadias, we were very worried about it as it was the first time I had heard such case. Then I started searching about treatment and could not find any specialist locally in Afghanistan. Then we searched for a hypospadias specialist in India and could find the best pediatric urologist surgeon in Mumbai called Dr. A. K Singal in MITR hospital in Navi Mumbai although, I searched in Delhi and other states. Indeed what all I found it was just from Google net and I was really not sure what is going to be happen. Many questions arose into my mind that how the operation is going to be done? How many days my son would be admitted? And many other questions were there.

Eventually, I got appointment with the MITR hospital via email with Mrs. Emily Paul who was very helpful and then we decided to go India for the treatment and finally reached the mentioned hospital on the 1st December, 2014. In the same day, Dr. A. K Singal visited my child and he impressed me when he talked about the operation and we decided to operate him after two days. Then on the 3rd December my baby’s operation was done.
The operation was done in a very professional way and successfully with no issue. Then I realized that I took a really right decision and found the right hypospadias doctor. It was amazing that in the same day my baby did not have any pain and discharged from the hospital but I requested to remain for some more days for betterment of the child. 

We (me and my wife) have very good memories from the Hypospadias Foundation and MITR Hospital especially from Dr A.K.Singal and now we know why he is a renowned Pediatric urologist and one of the best Hypospadias surgeons in India. The staff of Hypospadias Foundation based in MITR Hospital is good and the nurses were really outstanding. I thank them too.

My little angel is doing very well after surgery with no issue and we overcome those all tensions and worries which we had in the past. I really appreciate Dr. A. K Singal and whole MITR team with professional communication and cooperation and your friendly environment.

Considering that our son had hypospadias which can have lot of stigma, we request you to keep his name and identity confidential. We would be happy to interact with parents whose children are suffering from hypospadias any time offline.

Thank you Dr. Singal.

Best Regards,

Mr M.H., Herat, Afghanistan

Case description:

Master F.H.,8 months old child underwent distal penile Hypospadias treatment at our hospital recently (Dec 2014). Father had written to us about a month back expressing a desire to travel for Afghanistan to India for the hypospadias repair surgery. They had sent us pictures of the penis via email and we could explain to them the type of anomaly and the surgery needed for the same. Fortunately, the father took very good and clear pictures as instructed and it was easy for us to understand even without examining the child. Ms Emily Paul and Dr Rajkumar coordinated the OPD appointments and then one fine day the baby was at our hospital in Navi Mumbai. We confirmed the hypospadias to be distal penile hypospadias and did the pre surgery checkup and fitness by a Pediatrician. We took up the baby for surgery on 03/12/2014 and surgery was done using Tubularised Incised plate urethroplasty (TIP repair) also called Snodgrass repair or Snodgrass urethroplasty. Originally described by Dr Warren Snodgrass, the TIP repair is one of the most reliable and common repairs done worldwide for distal and midpenile hypospadias in selected and suitable cases.

The surgery was finished in one hour and F.H. was allowed feeds after 3 hours of surgery. He was at his playful best by evening and we planned to discharge the baby. Parents were very worried about taking him to a hotel and requested to stay in the hospital for another week till the dressing and the catheter were taken out. In normal circumstances, we discharge most of the hypospadias surgery kids by evening of surgery but here understanding the situation we allowed them to stay for a week. Finally the catheter and the dressing were removed in 5 days and the parents took the child to Pune with them. I saw them on 15th Dec 2014 once again before their final flight back home to Afghanistan from Delhi. He was doing very well and the penis had healed very nice with good cosmetic and functional outcome.

Staff and nurses were very fond of master F.H. as he was a very happy baby and used to come to everyone’s arms easily and used to play with them. He used to be in my lap all the time. All of us here at MITR Hospital and Hypospadias Foundation wish him the very best in life. And we all miss him.

About the Hypospadias Foundation & Dr A.K.Singal

Hypospadias Foundation in Navi Mumbai, India is the world’s only organisation committed and dedicated to treatment and care of children having hypospadias. Over last 6 years children from all over India and from more than 15 countries have benefitted from care at Hypospadias Foundation.

Dr A.K.Singal, Pediatric Urologist and Hypospadias Surgeon is an expert and renowned surgeon for management of children and adults with Hypospadias. Dr Singal and Dr Manish Dubey are close friends and together started Hypospadias Foundation in Nov 2008.

Dr A.K.Singal during Hypospadias surgery

Dr Singal can be contacted by filling up this form: Enquiry form for Hypospadias

Or you can call up Dr Rajkumar (Dr Singal’s assistant) at +919821261448

His clinic timings in Navi Mumbai, Thane and Mumbai are available here:

Clinics and Timings for Dr Singal

Hypospadias repair surgery videos by Dr A.K.Singal:

Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

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    Letter from Pune: Family thanks Hypospadias Foundation for good results of a single stage urethroplasty for scrotal hypospadias

    Hello Dr. Singal,

    When we came to know our son is suffering from hypospadias, we being parents were
    really worried for him. There were several doubts and fears running in and out through our mind. We were very tensed and concerned regarding his hypospadias repair surgery, overall result and further treatment.
    We then visited many doctors in Pune but were unhappy and unsatisfied with their answers and process of treatment, until one day while surfing on internet we read about you and the hypospadias foundation run by you. Thumbs up for the great job you are doing by running this foundation and providing complete awareness among parents.
    For first time when you examined our son and the manner you explained the entire
    process of surgery and treatment, really raised positive hopes in us. Most of our doubts were cleared in the first meeting itself. We want to thank you from the bottom of our heart for undertaking our son’s surgery not only in positive way but also making it successful in the first stage. Due to your fair treatment and kind support we were able to cope with our son’s surgery and health. We really want all other parents as well whose children are suffering from hypospadias to undergo Hypospdias treatment at Hypospadias Foundation at MITR Hospital, Navi Mumbai and go back home smiling.

    As our son is a hypospadias patient, we want to keep his name and identity confidential. We are ready to share our experience and contact details with the parents whose children are suffering from hypospadias any time offline.

    Thanks,
    Mr. & Mrs. K,

    Pune

    These letters are priceless to us. As a hypospadias surgeon, I owe it to our team for excellent results and patient happiness. Surgery is often just one of the things which makes successes and miracles happen. It is the larger picture – the dedication, thought process, commitment and most importantly the love which the surgical team can give. I can safely say that beyond the surgeon’s hands and nurses injections there is something else which cures a patient. It is love and faith and it runs both ways. Mr and Mrs K came and saw us three months back and they came with full faith and commitment to get their son better. It is not easy to get a surgery for your young child. It is much more easier to get surgery done for yourself rather than your child. I really wish to express my gratitude to the parents and families who give their little ones in our hands trusting us to do the right thing for their child.

    Case summary for Master D.K.

    Master D.K. was born with scrotal hypospadias and was advised by the pediatrician to see a pediatric urologist or a pediatric surgeon for Hypospadias repair surgery at 1-2 years of age. After multiple consultations elsewhere, they finally came to see us at MITR Hospital & Hypospadias Foundation in Navi Mumbai. Navi Mumbai is just 2 hour’s drive from Pune so family thought of taking a second opinion from us.

    Examination of Master D.K. confirmed severe scrotal hypospadias with mild chordee. I counseled the family regarding the possibility of a single stage repair. I explained to them that our intent would be to repair the hypospadias in one stage but sometime 5-10% of the kids may need a second surgery if something doesn’t heal well after first surgery. D.K underwent hypospadias repair surgery in October 2014 using an Onlay Island Flap Urethroplasty. He recovered from surgery and anesthesia very fast and was walking around and eating normally the next day. Happy with his recovery from Hypospadias surgery, we discharged him the next day and he went home back to Pune the day after surgery. Dressing was removed after 5 days and urinary catheter a total of ten days after surgery. A follow-up visit after 2 weeks showed hypospadias repair site to be healing well and parents and we were both very happy to see. It is now almost two months after surgery and D.K is doing very well. I hope that he continues doing well though he will need follow-ups at three months, one year then at 5, 10,15 years of age as some minor issues can crop up later in some cases of severe hypospadias.

    As of now, it is time to rejoice and I can also breathe a sigh of relief. And to top up the happiness, I got this letter from the parents, which makes all the hard work so much worthwhile. Such letters make my work a pleasure and operation theatre a playground. My best wishes to the family for a happy future for the kid.

    About the Author:

    Dr A.K.Singal is a renowned Pediatric urologist and one of the best Hypospadias surgeons in India. He is the founder of Hypospadias Foundation based in MITR Hospital, Navi Mumbai and regularly does hypospadias repair surgeries in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

    To contact Dr Singal- pls fill up this form- Contact form

    Clinics and timings of Dr Singal

    Videos of Hypospadias Surgery by Dr A.K.Singal

    Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

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      Distal Penile Hypospadias in a child: Single stage repair surgery video using TIP urethroplasty (Snodgrass repair)

      Distal penile hypospadias is the most common type of hypospadias in children. The urethral opening is located on the underside of penis but in last 1/3 of the penis. While some of the distal hypospadias may have an associated bend in penis called Chordee, most of the distal hypospadias may not have a chordee. There are many types of hypospadias surgery techniques described and the hypospadias surgeon selects the type of repair depending on the anatomy.

      The key factors in deciding the repair are:

      1. Severity of Chordee
      2. Severity of hypospadias
      3. Quality of urethral plate
      4. Experience of the surgeon

      Snodgrass repair or Tubularised incised plate urethroplasty was described by Dr Warren Snodgrass in 1992 and relies on using the natural tissues of penis on the underside for making a new urinary passage. The basic concept is midline incision of the open urethra from the urinary opening till the head of penis. This expands the urethral plate and allows it rolled into a new urethral tube which can heal very well.

      The critical steps are:

      • Degloving of the penis: Incisions are marked preserving the urethral plate and all the penile skin is taken down to correct chordee. This step doesn’t harm the nerve and blood supply of penis as that runs deep inside the penis.
      • Artificial erection test: After applying a tourniquet, artificial erection test is done to check for any curvature (chordee). If there is no curvature, urethroplasty can be started.
      • Chordee correction: In most of the children with distal hypospadias, degloving alone releases the bands on underside of the penis and chordee gets corrected. In some children with hypospadias, chordee correction may be needed. This can be done by either putting a stitch – Tunica albuginea plication or by dividing the urethral plate. Urethral plate division is needed only in patients with severe chordee. But once the urethral plate is divided, TIP urethroplasty can’t be done, other types of repairs have to be planned.
      • Glans wings: Urethral plate is dissected into glans, creating glans wings on either side which are mobilized deep. Midline urethral plate incision (TIP incision) is given to expand the urethral plate and then urethra is closed with a fine absorbable suture such as PDS or vicryl to construct the new tube. The sutures are taken in a subepithelial fashion to invert the mucosa.
      • Second layer coverage: If there is good corpus spongiosum around urethral plate, it is mobilized for spongioplasty to provide security from urethral fistula. We also routinely use Dartos flap to cover the urethroplasty and prevent complications such as urethral fistula.
      • Glansplasty and skin coverage: Glans wings are closed with absorbable sutures and excess foreskin on the top is divided in midline and brought ventrally for complete skin coverage. Midline closure is achieved after excising excess skin so that a pleasing cosmetic outcome can be sought.
      • Dressing and catheter: Though lot surgeons use bulky dressings after hypospadias surgery, we use mostly a Tegaderm (transparent plastic wrap) followed by a soft gauze dressing. The catheter is tied to the glans stitch and allowed to drip urine into the diaper.

      Follow-up and care after hypospadias repair surgery with TIP urethroplasty:

      Most of the children are discharged by the evening of hypospadias surgery. Antibiotic syrup, pain killers and antispasmodic medicines are given for a week’s time. The parents are taught double diaper care and we call the children for follow-up after 5-7 days for removal of dressing and catheter at the same time. The hypospadias dressing is removed in clinic itself and the parents are advised to apply an antibiotic ointment on the penis for 2-3 weeks. Bath can be given as soon as the dressing is removed. We call for follow-up two weeks after catheter removal and after 3 months if everything is healing well.

      About the author:

      Dr A.K.Singal is a renowned Pediatric Urologist and Hypospadias Surgeon practicing in western india in area of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. He is counted as one of the best hypospadias expert surgeons in the world and every year manages more than 200 kids and adults with hypospadias. He started Hypospadias Foundation in 2008 and Hypospadias Foundation remains the world’s only organisation dedicated to children with Hypospadias. Children from more than 20 countries travel every year to India to consult for hypospadias treatment under his team’s care.

      Dr A.K.Singal during Hypospadias surgery

      He is available at the following clinics : Clinics and Timings for Dr A.K.Singal

      Watch video of Distal penile hypospadias repair surgery video by Dr A.K.Singal

      Watch video of Single stage repair surgery of severe hypospadias by Dr A.K.Singal

      Watch Video of repair of glanular hypospadias with chordee by Dr A.K.Singal

      To send an enquiry to Dr Singal’s team please fill up this form:

      Contact form for Hypospadias enquiry

      Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

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        Good results of hypospadias repair surgery in adults even after previous failed repairs

        Besides 100,000 kids born in India every year with hypospadias, there are an estimated 5-10 lakh adults living with either unoperated hypospadias or failed hypospadias having complications of Hypospadias surgery. These can be minor issues such as urethral fistula, chordee or suboptimal cosmetic results but a significant number may have major issues such as completely failed hypospadias, urethral diverticulum, hairy urethra, urethra stricture etc. Unable to come to terms with penile deformity, they do not get any hope or assurances from adult urologists or plastic surgeons as this may not be the area of primary interest or dedication for them.

        Mr Rajveer Singh, 30 years old man, had a midpenile hypospadias with chordee and was operated by a plastic surgeon in Hissar Haryana 2 years back. After surgery, there was a breakdown of hypospadias repair and he was still passing urine from underside of penis. He was still having a downward curvature of penis (chordee) even after this surgery. Also he had seen hair growing out of urinary opening over last few months. He was very worried as he wanted to get married, hence he wrote to us asking for help. We wrote back asking for detailed pictures on email which would help us in understanding his clinical condition and hypospadias deformity. Finally, we called him to see us at Hypospadias Foundation in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. He took a flight from Delhi to Mumbai and landed up in my Hypospadias clinic on a Monday evening. On examination, he had a urinary opening much below the head of penis in midpenile region and also a couple of holes (urethral fistula) from where he was leaking urine. More importantly his penis still looked bent due to uncorrected chordee. Lastly the cosmetic outcome was really bad with tags of skin here and there and we could see hair coming out of his urethra due to previous failed improper hypospadias surgery. This results when an undertrained hypospadias surgeon uses hairy penile skin for urethral reconstruction. We counselled Rajveer regarding the surgical plan the first step of which would be excision of all unhealthy skin tissue on underside of penis, chordee correction (straightening of penis) and then decide for the type of hypospadias repair in operation theatre. This would be either a single stage repair using a local flap from hairless penile skin or a staged repair using a buccal mucosa graft. In staged buccal mucosa graft – we first excise all unhealthy tissue and scars of failed hypospadias repair, then take a thin lining from inside of lower lip or cheek and then place it as a graft on underside of penis. Once this graft gains local blood supply from penis tissue, we roll it into a urethral tube typically after 6 months of first stage. We always keep buccal graft as the last option in failed hypospadias as that essentially means multiple surgeries. Hence, we attempt to do a single stage flap repair whenever feasible even in failed hypospadias and hence we shared this intent with Rajveer.

        Rajveer was taken up for surgery the next day under spinal anesthesia and first a cystoscopy was done. It showed normal urethra beyond midpenile region and unhealthy scarred hairy urethra with fistulae in the distal penile region. We excised all the unhealthy tissues and then checked for chordee. There was still 30 degrees bend in penis which needed correction by a 12 O’clock non-absorbable stitch on the top side of penis. On rechecking with artificial erection, there was no chordee now. After chordee repair was satisfactory, we analysed the penile skin on the right side of penis. We could see an island of hairless skin which was possibly remnant of foreskin (prepuce). We designed a long flap from this with very good blood supply from the underlying dartos tissue. This flap was used in an onlay fashion to repair hypospadias in a single stage. Finally head of the penis (glans) was also repaired and a catheter was placed to drain urine till the whole repair healed. Rajveer went back to his home town in Haryana after 3 days of surgery and then we arranged for one of my surgeon colleagues in Hissar (Dr Vivek Gupta) to help with post hypospadias surgery care. The catheter was removed on day 14 since it was a major hypospadias reconstruction. Rajveer passed urine well and but the full healing of the penis took about 4 weeks. The final cosmetic result was excellent when he sent the pictures via email. He visited us recently almost 3 months after surgery, the penis looked well healed and he is passing urine well from the tip in a good stream. His erections are straight and he is now looking forward to get married. The only question is whether he will invite me for his wedding or not and if he invites, how will he introduce me.

        When such complex failed cases do well after hypospadias treatment at Hypospadias foundation, it makes us very happy. We feel our goal of starting the foundation in Nov 2008 has been fulfilled. Last six years have been a long and exciting journey but is has been a very challenging time. When we started we never knew the burden of problem was so high.  Along the way we have been privileged to be a part of lives of more than 600 kids and adults with Hypospadias from all over India and some countries abroad. Almost 25% of those receiving treatment at Hypospadias Foundation, have been patients with failed hypospadias who received surgery elsewhere. Though initially we started only with management of hypospadias in children but we realized that there is huge gap when it comes to treatment of hypospadias in adults. Along with Dr Manish Dubey, my close friend who is an adult urologist we are able to offer good care and success rates in adults and failed hypospadias.

        In last three years, Hypospadias Foundation has welcomed many patients from many other states and countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh, Greece, Afghanistan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE-Dubai, Oman, Great Britain (UK), USA, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Congo, Zambia and this number continues to grow attesting to our devotion to the field of Hypospadias. Within India, kids and their families have travelled for treatment of hypospadias from Assam, Kolkata, Orissa (Puri, Bhubhaneshwar), Ranchi, Chattisgarh (Raipur, Katni),  Gujarat (Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Gandhinagar), MP (Indore, Bhopal), Himachal, Delhi, Haryana (Hissar, Rohtak, Panipat), Rajasthan (Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur), Maharashtra (Jalgaon, Pune,  Aurangabad, Nasik, Nagpur, Parbhani, Dhule, Solapur, Kolhapur, Ahmednagar, Ratnagiri), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow, Allahabad, Meerut), Goa, Andhra Pradesh (Hyderabad, Belgaum, Guntur), Uttarakhans (Dehradun), Jammu, Kerala (Cochin), Tamilnadu (Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore) and Punjab (Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Patiala).

        About the author:

        Dr A.K.Singal is a Pediatric Urologist and Hypospadiologist practicing in western india in area of Navi Mumbai and Thane. He is counted as one of the best hypospadias expert surgeons in the world and every year manages more than 200 kids and adults with hypospadias. He is available at the following clinics :

        Clinics and Appointments for Dr Singal

        To send an enquiry to Dr Singal’s team please fill up this form: Contact Dr A.K.Singal

        Watch video of Single stage repair surgery of severe hypospadias by Dr A.K.Singal

        Watch video of repair of glanular hypospadias with chordee by Dr A.K.Singal

        Watch video of Distal penile hypospadias repair surgery by Dr A.K.Singal

        Contact Form for Hypospadias Foundation

        Please fill all clinical details and upload pictures and clinical summaries (if available)

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