A 3-year-old boy is toilet trained and the urine stream is not directed straight from the meatus at the tip of the penis. This supports hypospadias because:

A 3-year-old boy is toilet trained and the urine stream is not directed straight from the meatus at the tip of the penis. This supports hypospadias because:

• A. It is a rare disorder and would indicate a more serious problem
• B. Normally the urine stream is directed from the meatal opening at the tip of the penis in a straight path
• C. The child is circumcised
• D. Fusion of the urethral folds has occurred

Answer: (B)

Hypospadias stems from the urethral opening being located on the ventral underside of the penis rather than at the tip, due to incomplete fusion of the urethral folds during development. Because normal anatomy has the urine stream emerging straight from the meatus at the tip, a stream that is not directed straight indicates the meatus is off the tip, which supports hypospadias. The observation isn’t about circumcision and hypospadias is relatively common, not an indication of a more dramatic problem by itself. Also, hypospadias results from a failure of fusion of the urethral folds, so “fusion has occurred” would describe normal development, not the condition.

Hypospadias stems from the urethral opening being located on the ventral underside of the penis rather than at the tip, due to incomplete fusion of the urethral folds during development. Because normal anatomy has the urine stream emerging straight from the meatus at the tip, a stream that is not directed straight indicates the meatus is off the tip, which supports hypospadias. The observation isn’t about circumcision and hypospadias is relatively common, not an indication of a more dramatic problem by itself. Also, hypospadias results from a failure of fusion of the urethral folds, so “fusion has occurred” would describe normal development, not the condition.