After Meatoplasty: How to Care for Your Child

Your son had meatoplasty (mee-AT-uh-plas-tee) to fix meatal stenosis. This minor surgery made the opening where the pee comes out bigger so that the pee can come out normally.

The meatus (mee-AY-tis) is the opening in a boy's penis where the urine (pee) comes out. In meatal stenosis (mee-AT-ul steh-NO-sis), the meatus is too small.

Your son had medicine so that he did not feel pain during surgery. He may also have had medicine, called general anesthesia, to help him sleep during the procedure. A small cut was made in the meatus to make the opening bigger. Absorbable stitches (stitches that do not need to be taken out because they dissolve) may have been placed around the bigger meatus. This helps the meatus stay bigger as it heals.

If your son had general anesthesia, he may feel nauseated or have some vomiting (throwing up) for a short time after the surgery. This is from the anesthesia and usually goes away within a few hours. Some redness, soreness, and swelling where the cut was made are normal for a day or two after meatoplasty.

You can continue to care for your son at home.

• Give your son any prescribed medicines as directed.

• If your son is uncomfortable, a pain medicine may help:

  • If the doctor prescribed a pain medicine, use it as directed. Be sure to ask the doctor or pharmacist before also using acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Some prescription pain medicines contain similar ingredients and taken together could cause your child to get too much medicine.

  • If your doctor did not prescribe a pain medicine and your child is younger than 6 months or has a medical problem, check with the doctor before giving medicine.

  • If your doctor did not prescribe a pain medicine and your child is 6 months or older and the doctor says it's OK, you may give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand) OR ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand).

• After the surgery, it's OK for your son to have clear fluids (such as apple juice, broth, ice pops, and water). For babies, give an oral electrolyte solution, which is a special liquid with the right amounts of water and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) for children. Brand names include Pedialyte® and Enfalyte®. Many stores also have a store brand. You can buy it at drugstores or supermarkets without a prescription.

• If your son is taking the clear fluids/electrolyte drinks well, you can slowly start to give a regular diet.

• For the first day after the surgery, dress your son in loose-fitting underwear. If your child is still in diapers, change the diaper often. Or let your son be without a diaper if possible.

• It is usually OK for your son to bathe as usual starting the day after the surgery, but check with your doctor first.

• Care for the area as the doctor told you:

  • For the next 2 weeks: Gently pull the edges of the meatus apart and apply antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly to the tip of the meatus 3 to 4 times a day.

  • After 2 weeks: Continue to gently pull the edges of the meatus apart and apply antibiotic ointment or petroleum jelly once a day (at night) for another 2 weeks.

• For 2–3 weeks, your son should avoid using straddle toys (such as a rocking horse) and playground equipment (such as a seesaw, jungle gym, slide, or swing set), riding a bike, roughhousing, and doing other activities where injury is possible.

• Go to any follow-up doctor visits as recommended.

Your son:

• has pain when peeing

• is throwing up a lot and cannot keep liquids down

• is having trouble peeing

• is having trouble pooping

• has bleeding or pus coming from his meatus

• has two streams when peeing

• is having a lot of pain and can't be comforted

• gets a fever

• Your son cannot pee.

Can meatal stenosis come back after surgery? If you follow the directions for caring for your son's penis, meatal stenosis probably will not come back. If you're ever concerned that it is coming back, call your child's doctor.