State of the art review in hypospadias: challenges in diagnosis and medical management

Abstract

Hypospadias is a common congenital malformation in males, the cause of which may be genetic, hormonal, or environmental, although it usually is idiopathic or possibly multifactorial. Determining the optimal diagnostic testing and management remains a challenge. Hypospadias is corrected with surgery, and androgen therapy often is used preoperatively as an adjunctive therapy, although its use, timing, and effectiveness are unclear. No standardized approach has been established for the diagnostic testing for hypospadias or for preoperative androgen therapy. We reviewed current literature and used the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to assess the quality of evidence and provide recommendations for a diagnostic testing algorithm from an endocrine and genetic perspective and for the optimal use of preoperative androgen therapy. These recommendations are an important step towards standardizing the use of diagnostic testing and the management of patients with hypospadias.