Surgery FAQs

What Should My Child Wear?

The child should wear anything comfortable, such as pajamas or sweatpants. These clothes may get soiled.

Child Care Arrangements

You may need to make arrangements for child care for other children in the household on the day of surgery.We cannot provide a specific discharge time because each child recovers differently.

What Kind of Anesthesia Is Used?

All children receive general anesthesia.

How Long Will My Child Need to Be Home From School?

• Hydrocele, orchiopexy, inguinal hernia – return to school the Monday after surgery.
• Penile skin bridge, varicocele, cystoscopy, lysis of penile adhesions, stent removal, lysis of labial adhesion, excision of penile foreign bodies – return to school in two days.
• Penile concealment, chordee repair and circumcision – return seven days after surgery.
• After extraction of stones – return after two days of being discharged from the hospital.
• Pyeloplasty – return one day after drain removal (usually seven to eight days after surgery).
• Hypospadias – return after stent falls out (usually five to ten days after surgery).

When Can My Child Go Swimming in a Pool or Lake?

• Hydrocele, orchiopexy, inguinal hernia, varicocele – two to three weeks
• After extraction of stones, penile skin bridge, varicocele, cystoscopy, lysis of penile adhesions, stent removal, lysis of labial adhesion, excision of penile foreign bodies, urethromeatoplasty –  two days after surgery
• Penile concealment, chordee repair, circumcision, hypospadias – one month after surgery.

When Can My Child Resume Physical Activity?

• Hydrocele, orchiopexy, inguinal hernia, varicocele – two weeks after surgery
• Penile skin bridge, cystoscopy, lysis of penile adhesions, stent removal, lysis of labial adhesion, excision of penile foreign bodies – two days after surgery
• Hypospadias, penile concealment, chordee repair and circumcision – one month after surgery
• After extraction of stones, urethromeatoplasty – two days after surgery
• Pyeloplasty – four weeks after surgery

What If My Child Is Scheduled to Receive Their Immunizations/Flu Shot?

It is recommended that immunizations and flu shots not be done seven days prior to the surgery.

Why Would Surgery Be Postponed?

If your child has a fever, rash in underwear area or upper respiratory illness, we would postpone surgery.

Bathing

• Before surgery – child must bath or shower the night before surgery.
• After surgery – child can shower after 48 hours. Sponge bath the next day.
• The following surgeries – penile skin bridge, cystoscopy, lysis of penile adhesions, stent removal, lysis of labial adhesion, excision of penile foreign bodies – next day.