Severe hypospadias with genital ambiguity: adult outcome after staged hypospadias repair.

OBJECTIVE

To obtain the long-term follow-up information on children born with severe perineoscrotal hypospadias associated with genital ambiguity who underwent a staged surgical correction of their hypospadias and were raised as males.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The study comprised patients who had undergone a surgical correction of hypospadias before 1978 and were traced successfully. Postal questionnaires which were completed and returned by 19 patients and 28 general practitioners (GPs) were evaluated; in addition, nine cases were clinically reviewed.

RESULTS

Of the 19 patients who completed and returned the questionnaire, four were married or living with a partner and 12 had had intercourse, with debut at a median age of 17 years. Satisfactory erection and orgasm were reported by 15 men but only seven had satisfactory ejaculation. Nine men had continued difficulties with micturition and urological function. Four men considered that their psychological well-being and quality of life had been markedly impaired by their condition and two other men had evidence of mild depression. Nine patients did not complete the questionnaires but allowed their GPs to provide information about them; only one was reported to have marked psychological impairment and impaired general health. Two of the patients who did not participate in the study are known to have significant psychiatric problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Staged hypospadias repair in men with severe perineoscrotal hypospadias is associated with continued difficulty with both ejaculation and micturition, but is not usually associated with major psychiatric or psychological disturbance. The findings indicate the importance of follow-up in adolescence and adult life with adequate counselling when necessary.