Chordee

Understanding Chordee

Chordee is a congenital condition (meaning it is present at birth) that causes the penis to curve downward. In many children, chordee is also seen with hypospadias, a condition where the urethral opening is not located at the tip of the penis, but rather on the underside of the penis.

Diagnosing Chordee

Chordee is most easily seen during an erection and surgery is often necessary to correct this condition. In some cases of chordee, tethered tissue on the underside of the child’s penis makes it impossible to have a straight erection.

The pediatric urology specialists at Chesapeake Urology for Children recommend that surgery be performed in infancy or early childhood to correct chordee to ensure the normal growth and development of the penis as the child matures into adolescence and adulthood.

Surgery to Treat Chordee

Surgery to repair chordee in childhood is often very successful. The procedure is performed as an outpatient surgery in our Ambulatory Surgery Center which has a team of pediatric surgery specialists at the ready to care for your child. If hypospadias is present, Dr. Kern will surgically correct the chordee, as well as repair the urethral opening, moving it toward the tip of the penis. Seeing chordee and hypospadias together is not uncommon.