During the physical examination of a newborn boy, the pediatrician notices that the urethral meatus is positioned on the lower side of the penile shaft. What is the appropriate diagnosis for this congenital birth defect?

Hypospadias refers to a con- genital anomaly in which the urethra opens on the underside (ventral surface) of the penis so that the meatus is proximal to its normal glandular location. The condition results from incomplete closure of the urethral folds of the urogenital sinus. Hypospadias has a frequency of 1 in 350 male neonates. Most cases are sporadic, but a familial occurrence has been noted. Surgical repair is usually uncomplicated. Epispadias (choice A) refers to a congenital anomaly in which the urethra opens on the upper side (dorsal surface) of the penis. In phimosis (choice E), the orifice of the prepuce may be too narrow to allow retraction over the glans penis.Diagnosis: Hypospadias