Penile length and circumference dimensions: A large study in young Italian men

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the size of the penis in flaccidity and in erection of Italian men. A total of 4,685 men living in Italy and who have been visited at the Italian urology operating units were involved in the study between January 2019 and January 2020. Each patient was given details on how to measure their penis (erect length and circumference) in flaccidity and in erection, from the lower base to the distal penile tip. Mean (standard deviation [SD]) flaccid penis length was 9.47 (2.69), mean (SD) flaccid penis circumference was 9.59 (3.08), mean (SD) erect penis length was 16.78 (2.55) and mean (SD) erect penis circumference was 12.03 (3.82). At the linear regression analysis, height was associated with flaccid penis length (β = 0.04; p-value = .01), and erect penis length was (β = 0.05; p-value < .01) and erect penis circumference was (β = 0.06; p-value < .01). Height is proportional to the length of the penis in flaccidity and in erection, and to the circumference in erection. The increase in BMI leads to a reduction in the length of the erect penis, as well as weight gain reduces the length of the flaccid penis.     

男性盆腔部位肿瘤术后的阴茎康复

常见的男性盆腔部位肿瘤包括前列腺癌,膀胱癌和直肠癌,上述肿瘤患者在接受根治性手术后的阴茎勃起功能障碍(ED)发生率为25%~100%。造成术后ED的最大原因是神经血管束的受损,由此造成阴茎海绵体组织供氧减少,阴茎发生纤维化。术后早期的阴茎康复疗法能促进患者改善或恢复勃起功能。本文就目前男性盆腔部位肿瘤术后的阴茎康复做一综述。     

Post malleable Penile Prosthesis Satisfaction in elderly patients: Serial assessments

Post penile implant sexual satisfaction in elderly patients is a multifactorial issue. In the present study, we investigated the possible implication of age on satisfaction after malleable penile implant surgery in elderly patients. We compared post‐operative sexual satisfaction in the elderly with that of a younger age group (reference group). Patients were classified into three groups according to their ages (group I <45, group II between 45 and 65, and group III older than 65 years old). Modified Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) questionnaire was used at 3, 6 and 12 months after implant surgery. EDITS scores showed statistically significant high satisfaction rates in all age groups. EDITS scores were higher in the early post‐operative period in younger groups compared to elderly patients. However, the difference between groups was insignificant at 12 months post‐operatively (p value = .06). Our results show that elderly patients have a high post‐operative satisfaction rate close to that of younger age groups, and they are suitable candidates for penile implant surgery with good and realistic post‐operative sexual satisfaction expectations.     

Penile revascularization surgery in erectile dysfunction

A historical survey of operative interventions and flawed techniques for treatment of erectile dysfunction is presented. The purpose and functioning of the three-vessel anastomosis are discussed, with emphasis on some avoidable faults that may occur during the operation.     

A rare case report: Penile lipoma after hypospadias repair

Lipomas are the most common benign tumours that originate from adipose tissue and can develop in any anatomical location where the adipose tissue layer is present in the body. Penile lipoma cases are very rare in the literature. Our case is a 21‐year‐old male patient who underwent TIPU operation 8 years ago due to distal hypospadias. One year after the operation, a palpable swelling at the midline of the ventral portion of the penis occurred and this lesion grew over time. In this case report, we present a patient with lipoma that was developed in the surgical area 1 year after hypospadias surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first cases of penil lipoma related to hypospadias procedure.     

Narrative review of penile prosthetic implant technology and surgical results,including transgender patients

Over the past 40 years, the technological and surgical advancements in penile prostheses have led to increased patient satisfaction rates and decreased complication and infection rates. In cis males with erectile dysfunction (ED), these technological improvements tremendously improve quality of life. In female to male transgender patients, prostheses provide the ability to engage in penetrative intercourse and to urinate standing. This review evaluates technological and surgical advancements in penile prosthetics in the context of documented patient satisfaction and complication rates from prosthesis surgeries. Retrospective studies of penile implant usage in female to male gender-affirming surgeries report that infection and complication rates are higher than those seen in cis males. There are newer prostheses developed specifically for female to male reassignment surgeries, but outcome data is limited. Continued research and development are needed to develop more efficacious penile implantation options for gender affirmation surgery.     

Penile implant infection factors: a contemporary narrative review of literature

ObjectiveWe aim to review and summarize published literature that features implanted penile devices and details infection of these devices as a complication. In particular, we will detail the factors that influence infection of penile implants.BackgroundTypes of penile prostheses (PP) include inflatable implants and semirigid implants; these are utilized for treatment of erectile dysfunction. Likely the most feared complication of penile implants is infection. There are a handful of factors that are implicated in device infection.MethodsSearches were performed using MEDLINE and PubMed databases using keywords and phrases ‘penile implant AND infection’; ‘penile prosthesis AND infection’; ‘penile implant infection’. We have presented results from our literature search. We divided these into ‘Surgical Elements’ and ‘Patient Selection and Factors.’ Each topic is discussed in its own section.ConclusionsStrides have been made since the initial penile prosthesis (IPP) surgeries to improve infection rates including diabetes control, antibiotic coating of devices, and antibiotic implementation. Going forward, more studies, especially randomized control trials, need to focus on defining levels of diabetic control (sugar control and A1C control), determining the role of metabolic syndrome in infection promotion and determining laboratory values which could be predictive of infection. We present a discussion of important factors to consider in the realm of PP infections. In addition, we include studies which discuss topics for future directions in decreasing the number of infections seen with PP.     

Penile length and somatometric parameters: a study in healthy young Turkish men

The purpose of this study was to determine average penile length and to investigate the relationship between penile length and somatometric parameters in a group of young, healthy Turkish men. A total of 1,132 men were included in the study. The age, height and weight of the subjects were recorded. Penile length was measured in both flaccid and stretched states. The correlation between penile length and somatometric parameters was analysed. The mean age of the subjects was 20.3±0.9 years. The mean penile length in flaccid and stretched states was 9.3±1.3 and 13.7±1.6 cm, respectively (P<0.001). There was a positive correlation between flaccid and stretched penile length (r=0.800, P<0.001). The mean testicular volume was 22.0±2.8 cm(3). A weak positive correlation was detected between penile length and mean testicular volume (r=0.143 for flaccid penile length and r=0.140 for stretched penile length, P<0.001 for both). Similarly, weak positive correlations were found between penile length (both flaccid and stretched) and height, weight and body mass index, respectively (P<0.001, for all). These results demonstrate that somatometric parameters are correlated with penile length. We believe that further studies would provide more information about the causal relationship.     

Penile prosthesis surgery under local penile block anaesthesia via the infrapubic space

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and patient tolerance to local penile block anaesthesia via the infrapubic space with penile prosthesis implantation. Local anaesthesia was administered using a 23-guage 1.5-inch needle. A 50-50 mixture of 0.5% bupivicaine (Marcaine) and 0.5% lidocaine (Xylocaine) without adrenaline was injected into the infrapubic space with additional subcutaneous penile ring infiltration at the level of the penile root. A total number of 159 patients underwent this technique, mean age 57 years (range 34-86). In 148 (93%) patients, no booster sedation was needed; eight (5%) patients needed a boost of the pre-operative sedative during crural dilatation; three (1.8%) patients required general anaesthesia owing to insufficiently effective local anaesthesia and unexpectedly difficult dilatation. It is concluded that local anaesthesia was effective and safe to produce a pain-free procedure in 93% of cases. However, as the need for booster sedation or general anaesthesia exists, the procedure should be performed under monitored anaesthetic care and pre-operative evaluation should be performed as for general anaesthesia.     

Penile shortening complaints in males with erectile dysfunction: a narrative review on penile lengthening procedures during penile prosthesis surgery

Patients complaining of short penile length pose a challenge in urology practice. Those men who present seeking penile lengthening surgery usually overestimate ''normal'' penile length, and may in often cases relate their penile length with the degree of masculinity and self-esteem. Penile prosthetic devices are the gold standard treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) after failure of conservative options. Penile shortening is the most prevalent long-term complaint after successful inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) placement. This has a significant impact on patient’s overall satisfaction and quality of life. Using PubMed, we performed a thorough literature review of the current procedures of preservation or enhancement of penile length as well as reported perioperative protocols in patients undergoing penile prosthesis (PP) insertion. Keywords used were “penile lengthening”, “penile enhancement”, “penile girth”, “inflatable penile prosthesis” and “glans augmentation”. Several surgical techniques can be offered in the setting of penile shortening concurrently with PP insertion, e.g., sub-coronal approach of PP placement, sliding technique, modified sliding technique (MoST), multiple-slide technique (MuST), and tunica mesh expansion procedure (TMEP). Adjuvant techniques can also improve subjective penile length include, ventral phalloplasty, suprapubic lipectomy, suspensory ligament release and use of expanding penile implants. Preoperative protocols including use of a vacuum erectile device, traction therapy also seem to improve postoperative outcomes, minimizing postoperative pain, and encouraging the early device use. Currently, there is no consensus among experts on a particular lengthening procedure or when they can be performed to optimize outcomes. Furthermore, it is imperative to set proper expectations before surgery, with extensive patient and partner counseling. When used in the properly selected patient, penile lengthening procedures show promising results with minimal complication rates.     

Penile prosthesis cultures during revision surgery: a multicenter study

PURPOSE: Initial implantation of inflatable penile prosthesis has a 3% risk of infection. Reoperation of penile implants has a higher rate of infection, estimated between 10% and 18%. To explain the higher risk in revision surgery in this prospective study we cultured clinically uninfected prostheses requiring revision. Prosthesis pain was also investigated as a predictor of positive culture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At 3 institutions cultures were prospectively obtained from 77 clinically uninfected penile prostheses at revision surgery. Immediately upon surgical exposure of the pump cultures were obtained. If a bacterial biofilm was noted on any component it was additionally cultured. All culture isolates positive for a staphylococcus species were tested for sensitivity to rifampin and tetracycline (minocycline). An implant is now available that is coated with these antibiotics. Patient history of chronic prosthesis pain was ascertained. RESULTS: Culture positive bacteria were found in 54 of 77 (70%) patients with clinically uninfected penile prostheses. In some patients more than 1 organism grew and, occasionally, the pump culture was negative but the biofilm was positive. Of 54 patients 49 had positive (90%) culture for staphylococcus genus with 10 different species. All staphylococcal species were sensitive to rifampin and/or tetracycline. We did not find a significant association between prosthesis related pain and culture laboratory results. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of clinically uninfected penile prostheses have organisms growing in the implant spaces at reoperation. Most of these organisms are staphylococcal species that are sensitive to rifampin/minocycline.     

Gender Incongruence: Penile Prosthesis in Transgender Men after Phalloplasty

A penile prosthesis can be successfully implanted after phalloplasty in transgender men to permit sexual intercourse. A prosthesis can be categorized as malleable or inflatable. The most common penile prosthesis implanted after masculinizing genital surgery is the inflatable prosthesis but this can be a challenging operation with high complication rates. Penile prosthesis in transgender patients differs from cis-patients in many respects but one critical difference is the absence of the tough, protective tunica of the corporal body to contain the prosthesis. This causes greater mobility of the prosthesis under the skin and increases the risk of migration and erosion of the device through the skin. In addition, to overcome the absence of a corpora cavernosa, the proximal portion of the prosthesis must be anchored to bone. Complications include injury to the urethra, vascular injury, skin breakdown, infection, device migration, device failure, extrusion, and erosion. There is no robust data on the use of penile prosthesis in transgender men with only multiple reports of small numbers of patients. While successful implantation can improve patients'' quality of life, surgeons should counsel patients about the relatively high risk of the need for revision surgery.     

Penile rehabilitation after radical prostatectomy: what the evidence really says

The pathophysiology of erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy (RP) is believed to include neuropraxia, which leads to temporarily reduced oxygenation and subsequent structural changes in penile tissue. This results in veno‐occlusive dysfunction, therefore, penile rehabilitation programmes focus on tissue oxygenation. Animal studies support the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) after cavernous nerve damage but results from human studies are contradictory. The largest study to date found no long‐term effect of either daily or on‐demand PDE5I administration after RP compared with placebo. The effects of prostaglandin and vacuum erection devices are questionable and high‐quality studies are lacking. Better documentation for current penile rehabilitation and/or better rehabilitation protocols are needed. One must be careful not to repeat the statement that penile rehabilitation improves erectile function after RP so many times that it becomes a truth even without the proper scientific backing.     

Penile revascularization surgery for arteriogenic erectile dysfunction: the long-term efficacy rate calculated by survival analysis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the subjective and objective outcomes (by survival analysis) after penile revascularization surgery in patients with arteriogenic erectile dysfunction (ED), selected by established strict criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 51 patients diagnosed with arteriogenic ED caused by localised arterial lesions and who had microscopic penile revascularization surgery between January 1996 and March 2002. Before surgery, all patients had a full examination, including a medical and sexual history, laboratory testing, intracavernosal pharmacological tests, colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU), pharmacodynamic infusion cavernosometry and cavernosography, and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Penile revascularization surgery was indicated only in patients aged <50 years and with no history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension or hyperlipidaemia. When there were communicating branches between the dorsal and cavernosal arteries, Hauri's procedure was used; when there were none or there was no evidence for them on both CDU and DSA because of severe narrowing or obstruction in the proximal common penile artery, the Furlow-Fisher modification of the Virag V procedure (FFV5) was used. The patency of the neo-arterial blood flow was assessed by CDU and effective rates calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The efficacy rate was recalculated whenever there was a recurrence. When occlusion of the neo-arterial blood was confirmed by CDU the date of occlusion was set as that midway between the last examination showing patency of the donor vessel and the latest examination indicating the occlusion. The patency period was the number of days from surgery to the date of occlusion. RESULTS: Of the 51 patients, 26 had Hauri's and 23 the FFV5 procedure (median age 32 years, range 21-49); in two patients with a previous pelvic fracture surgery was not possible because of scar formation in the dorsal area at the base of the penis. The mean (sd) subjectively estimated efficacy rate was 85.9 (6.3)% after 3 and 67.5 (10.7)% after 5 years of follow-up. The duration at 75% efficacy was 41.0 (5.6) months. The objectively estimated efficacy rate was 84.9 (7.3)% at 3 and 65.5 (13.5)% after 5 years of follow-up. The duration at 75% patency was 42.4 (9.5) months, and at 50% was 60.6 (19.4) months. There was no significant difference in subjective outcome between the FFV5 and Hauri procedures (P = 0.38, log rank test) and none objective outcome after surgery (P = 0.19, log rank test). Thirteen of the 18 patients in the Hauri group had venous dilatation in the deep dorsal, obturator, prostatic and the internal iliac veins. There were operative complications in four patients (hyperaemia of the glans in two, and one each with haemorrhage from the anastomosis site and scar contracture). CONCLUSIONS: The long-term efficacy rates (by the Kaplan-Meier method) of the Hauri and FFV5 procedures were both acceptable. The selection criteria gave acceptable outcomes from both procedures. Penile revascularization surgery is a treatment suitable only for young men and therefore attention must be given not only to the long-term outcome but also to long-term adverse events.     

Serial assessment of efficacy and satisfaction profiles following penile prosthesis surgery

PURPOSE: Penile implants are associated with a high level of patient satisfaction. Studies to date have failed to use instruments that accurately record patient satisfaction data. We used 2 validated instruments to assess the chronology of efficacy and satisfaction profiles in men undergoing penile prosthetic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Men who elected penile implant surgery were administered the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire preoperatively, and 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively as well as the Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) questionnaire 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Comparison was done of preoperative and postoperative values for the overall IIEF, IIEF erectile function domain, IIEF satisfaction domain and EDITS. All surgeries were primary and in all patients an inflatable implant device was placed. RESULTS: A total of 96 men with a mean age of 56 years were enrolled in the study. All 12-month scores were statistically significantly higher than baseline scores. The 12-month values were statistically higher than 6-month values for the IIEF satisfaction domain and for EDITS. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that implant surgery causes a dramatic improvement in erectile function. It also indicates that satisfaction increases in year 1 after implant surgery with significant improvements in the second half of year 1. Current efforts are aimed at following this cohort of patients in an even more long-term fashion as well as evaluating partner satisfaction profiles. These findings should permit clinicians to provide penile prosthesis candidates with optimistic and realistic expectations for implant device function and postoperative satisfaction.     

Penile rehabilitation with a vacuum erectile device in an animal model is related to an antihypoxic mechanism: blood gas evidence

Our previous study showed that vacuum erectile device (VED) therapy has improved erectile function in rats with bilateral cavernous nerve crush (BCNC) injuries. This study was designed to explore the mechanism of VED in penile rehabilitation by analyzing cavernous oxygen saturation (SO₂) and to examine the effect of VED therapy on preventing penile shrinkage after BCNC. Thirty adult Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups: group 1, sham surgery; group 2, BCNC; and group 3, BCNC+VED. Penile length and diameter were measured on a weekly basis. After 4 weeks of therapy, the penile blood was extracted by three methods for blood gas analysis (BGA): method 1, cavernous blood was aspirated at the flaccid state; method 2, cavernous blood was aspirated at the traction state; and method 3, cavernous blood was aspirated immediately after applying VED. SO₂ values were tested by the blood gas analyzer. The results showed that VED therapy is effective in preventing penile shrinkage induced by BCNC (Penile shortening: BCNC group 1.9±1.1 mm; VED group 0.3±1.0 mm; P<0.01. Penile diameter reduction: BCNC group 0.28±0.14 mm; VED group 0.04±0.14 mm; P<0.01). The mean SO₂±s.d. values were increased by VED application (88.25%±4.94%) compared to the flaccid (76.53%±4.16%) or traction groups (78.93%±2.56%) (P<0.05). The calculated blood constructs in the corpus cavernosum right after VED application were 62% arterial and 38% venous blood. These findings suggest that VED therapy can effectively preserve penile size in rats with BCNC injury. The beneficial effect of VED therapy is related to antihypoxia by increasing cavernous blood SO₂.     

The permanent expandable implant in breast aesthetic,corrective and reconstructive surgery

Summary Since 1986 we have considered the permanent expandable implant (PEI) as the first choice of prosthesis breast surgery. The possibilities offered by multiple over-expansions and deflations have been explored; 187 PEI were utilized in 136 patients for aesthetic (32 with bilateral hypoplasia), corrective (17 with asymmetry, tubular breasts or Poland's syndrome) and reconstructive breast surgery (87 patients for immediate or delayed reconstruction following radical, modified radical, partial or subcutaneous mastectomy). All implants were positioned submuscularly; a latissimus dorsi muscular flap was transposed when the pectoralis major was absent or damaged. Either the Becker or the Gibney implant was used. The filling port was retained in order to take permanent advantage of the properties of the PEI. The dome was placed deep in the axilla, where it could not readily be palpated by patients. All PEI were immediately or progressively overinflated by 25–80% and then deflated to the planned optimal volume. Twenty-two patients developing capsular contracture were treated by overinflations and deflations with subjective and objective improvement. Many of the augmentation mammaplasty patients refused implant deflation to the planned preoperative volume. The over-expansion/deflation process proved to be effective in obtaining ptosis, in maintaining permanent volume symmetry and in keeping the base of tubular breasts unfolded. Moreover, the psychological advantages of patient's involvement in the procedure are significant.     

HbA1c over 8.5% is not predictive of increased infection rate following penile prosthesis implant surgery in diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction

Diabetes mellitus is associated with increased risk of erectile dysfunction. Penile prosthesis implantation is an efficient therapeutic option for erectile dysfunction, but not without risk, as infection remains a prominent concern. This study investigates diabetes mellitus as a risk factor for penile prosthesis implantation infection and the relationship between haemoglobinA1c levels and infection rates. All diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction who underwent penile prosthesis implantation surgery between January 2012 and November 2019 at Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, were included in this retrospective observational study. A total of 599 diabetic patients with erectile dysfunction had penile prosthesis implantation. Mean age was 59.69 ± 31.19. Penile prosthesis implantation infection rate was 0.83% (5/599), while the mean haemoglobinA1c level was 7.58 ± 1.45 mmol/l (range: 4.1–12.6). A comparison between diabetic patients with penile prosthesis implantation infection and those without infection revealed no significant difference in the level of haemoglobinA1c between the two groups with mean haemoglobinA1c in patients with infected implants 7.14 and 7.59 for noninfected (p = 0.491). Limitations include retrospective single-centre design and low-infection rates reducing sample number. Penile prosthesis implantation infection rate in a large series of diabetic patients was low with no significant association between haemoglobinA1c level and penile prosthesis implantation infection observed.