What are the classifications of penile deformities? Specific manifestations of penile deformities

Normal people rarely know about penile deformities. Most penile deformities occur at birth and are formed slowly during the embryonic development process. The affected child may be detected after birth. Timely surgery will not affect development and will not affect future marriage and childbearing. Some are due to trauma or genetic mutations during the postnatal puberty development process, resulting in poor development. There are many types of penile deformities with different manifestations.

Penile malformations are classified as follows:

a. Penile anomaly: The penis is absent due to developmental disorders, but the scrotum and testicles develop normally. Due to the absence of the penis, the urethra often opens in the perineum, anus or rectum, so the direction of urination changes, and of course sexual intercourse is impossible.

b. Latent penis: The penis is covered by the subcutaneous fat tissue of the scrotum, perineum, pubic region and inner thigh, and the penis is short, which can easily be misdiagnosed as penile anomaly. However, with development, the subcutaneous fat decreases and the penis can be exposed. Latent penis is often associated with urinary system malformations and requires surgical treatment.

What are the types of penile deformities?

c. Retroscrotal penis: The penis is located on the posterior side of the scrotum (on the anal side), and most cases are associated with urinary system malformations and require surgical treatment.

d. Bipenis: As the name suggests, it means having two penises. Bipenis can be arranged side by side or front to back. Bipenis can be completely divided into two, divided into two from the root of the penis, or divided into two from the glans penis. Bipenis is often associated with urinary system malformations and requires corrective surgery.

e. Congenital penile torsion: The penis rotates 90 to 180 degrees or left and right along the longitudinal axis, usually 80% to the left and 20% to the right. Penile torsion is easily accompanied by symptoms such as abnormal penile erection, erectile discomfort or hidden pain.

f. Congenital penile curvature: Most cases are accompanied by urinary system malformations. If it does not affect sexual intercourse and urination, it generally does not require treatment. Otherwise, surgical treatment is required.

Clinically, penile malformations can be divided into the following types:

1. Penile dysplasia

It may be associated with other genitourinary and lower intestinal abnormalities. Penile dysplasia is caused by a disorder in the embryonic development of the external genitalia.

2. Penis behind scrotum

The presentation may initially be very similar to penile dysplasia, which is less common.

3. Double Penis

Bipenis is also a rare abnormality. Typically, only one penis is functional and has a urethra. Therefore, appropriate surgical correction can only be performed after the urethral opening is identified.

4. Hypospadias

This disease is relatively common, and the reasons may be related to delayed or insufficient androgen secretion from the fetal testicles, insensitivity of the target organs to androgen effects, and the use of progesterone drugs or estrogens during fetal sexual development. If moderate or severe hypospadias is not treated, the patient's sexual function and sexual behavior may be affected.

5. Epispadias

Epispadias is relatively rare and is characterized by the absence of the upper wall of the urethra, that is, the urethra opens on the dorsal surface of the penis. It can occur alone or in combination with other deformities. In mild cases, only the glans penis splits into a groove-like shape, the penis is shorter, the glans penis is flat, and the foreskin separates on the dorsal side, which is the glans type. If the grooved urethra runs from the dorsal root of the penis to the top of the penis, it is the penis type. In severe cases, there may also be pubic separation, abnormal bladder sphincter, urinary incontinence, and often difficulty in sexual intercourse or inability to have sexual intercourse, thus losing reproductive function.