Meatoplasty

Meatoplasty is a surgical procedure that widens the opening at the tip of the penis to ensure unobstructed flow of urine. The cause of a narrower opening can be previous circumcision or penis surgery, irritation, inflammation, or meatus injury. If the opening is too small, it needs to be widened through outpatient surgery.

A doctor will recommend meatoplasty when the opening is narrow enough to obstruct the flow of urine. Surgery is necessary if the urine is so obstructed as to flow back to the bladder. This can be diagnosed by measuring the urine left over in the bladder. In situations like these, there is a greater risk of UTIs, and in the long run, it can lead to kidney damage.

Before being recommended meatoplasty, the patient will undergo a general examination. This allows the doctor to assess the patient’s general medical condition and their medical history. The decision to proceed with a meatoplasty will depend on the patient’s symptoms and the goals of the treatment.

Meatoplasty involves performing a resection of the narrowed parts of the meatus, and then reconstructing the meatus to ensure the urethra can function normally. Anesthesia can be local, regional, or general, depending on the complexity of the procedure itself and the patient’s overall health.

The surgeon will perform an incision on specific part of the urinary tract to gain access to the area that needs to be widened or reconstructed.. Narrowed or damaged parts of the urinary tract will be resected or reconstructed. After the necessary reconstruction is completed, the surgeon will close up the incision with stitches.

You may feel a stinging sensation the first few you urinate after the surgery. These usually disappear after the first 24 hours. During this time, the patient needs to regularly empty their bladder every few hours and not hold urine.. The patient can resume everyday activities when the pain subsides. . Patients should also avoid riding bicycles, contact sports, and swimming during the first seven days after the procedure or until fully healed.

Meatoplasty is a safe and common procedure with minimal risk of infection, bleeding, further narrowing, or issues with urinating.