Meatal Stenosis (Narrowing of the Urinary Opening)

• A stream as thin as a pencil tip.
• Straining to urinate, pushing with the abdominal muscles.
• A longer time needed to urinate.
• The stream spraying or coming out in a broken pattern.
• In some cases, recurrent urinary tract infections.

Meatal stenosis can appear in the months or years after circumcision. Once the protection of the foreskin is gone, the thin tissue around the opening becomes irritated and can narrow as it heals.

The issue isn't only about comfort. A persistent obstruction can make the bladder work harder, thicken its wall over time, and, rarely, lead to increased pressure that reaches the upper urinary tract. Waiting on the assumption that "he's urinating fine anyway" is not the right approach.

• Calibration / controlled dilation — may be enough on its own in mild cases.
• Meatotomy — controlled opening of the meatus from the underside. A short, usually same-day procedure.
• Meatoplasty — reshaping and widening the opening; scar tissue is removed. Preferred in recurrent cases.
• If the stricture extends beyond the opening, the approach changes and channel repair comes into consideration.

• A brief burning sensation while urinating is possible; a warm sitz bath helps.
• The ointment and/or gentle dilation your doctor recommends prevents the edges from sticking together.
• Stream thickness is reassessed at 1 and 3 months.