Meatal Stenosis

What is meatal stenosis?

Meatal stenosis is the narrowing of the hole on the tip of the penis occurring primarily in patients who have been circumcised.

What are the signs and symptoms of meatal stenosis?

Boys with meatal stenosis typically have a urinary stream that shoots upward in a high arch pattern, so that the patient will have to point their penis downward to hit the toilet or feel more comfortable sitting on the toilet to urinate.

Pain with urination and/or blood in the urine are less common signs of this problem being present. Occasionally, urine stream may be described a weak. Sometimes, the child may feel the need to strain to void.

How is meatal stenosis corrected?

This problem is corrected by a simple procedure called “meatoplasty” in the operating room with general anesthesia.

For procedures that are done in the operating room, your child will be given a specific surgery date and arrival time by the outpatient surgery center. You will be instructed on when your child may need to stop eating or drinking prior to the procedure. After arriving at the surgery center, you will be placed in a private, pre-op surgery room. At this time, you will have an opportunity to ask the surgery team any questions prior to the procedure. When ready, your child will be escorted to the operating room suite by the surgery team. After the surgery is completed, your doctor will speak to you about the procedure and answer any questions. You will then be able to stay with your child until he is ready to be taken home.

What happens after a meatoplasty?

After correction of this problem, ointment will be applied to the tip of the penis twice daily for a few weeks after the procedure. Boys are able to urinate normally after the procedure and improvement in urine stream is often noticed immediately.

You will be given instructions on how and when you should call the doctor, if concerns arise.