Surgical Treatment for Buried Penis

Buried penis, also known as retractile or hidden penis, can be a congenital syndrome. A congenital syndrome means that the condition was present at birth.  While this syndrome is more prevalent at birth or in young adolescence, it may occur at any stage of life. Read on to learn more about hidden penis syndrome and how it can be treated.

What Is A Buried Penis?

Buried Penis Syndrome is a condition where the penis is typically normal size, but lacks the appropriate sheath of skin, and is hidden within the abdomen, thigh, or scrotum. It may also be buried in its own skin. Oftentimes this is a congenital disorder that is most commonly diagnosed during adolescence. It is typically present in neonates or obese prepubertal boys, but may also occur in adult males. A retractile penis should not be compared to other conditions such as micropenis, which is an abnormally small but normally structured penis. 

Diagnosis

To get a diagnosis, you need to have a consultation and physical exam with your physician. During your consultation with Dr. Elist, he will go over your past medical history, do a physical exam, get a list of current medications and medical conditions, discuss all possible treatment options (surgical and non-surgical), the anticipated results, as well as the associated risks and complications. From there, he will be able to provide a treatment plan that may rectify your buried penis. 

What Causes Buried Penis?

If the Buried Penis Syndrome is present at birth or a young age (Primary Buried Penis Syndrome), then the cause is described as a result of penile tissue dysgenesis. In addition, the pubic fat pad may be present, which is causing the concealment to be exaggerated. Congenital cases may see issues with the pubic fat pad as they age. The skin and fat sag in this area, which covers the penis even more.

When present in pubertal and adolescent cases (Secondary Buried Penis Syndrome), the causes are obesity, radical circumcision, or lymphedema. Typically, Buried Penis Syndrome that becomes apparent in adulthood is most commonly a result of excessive fat deposition in the lower abdomen and pubic area. The lower abdomen and pubic area can create a moist condition, which may lead to skin infections, scarring, and adhesions with associated retraction. 

Complications

A buried penis could lead to urination issues in males of all ages. Urine may frequently get on the scrotum and thighs. This could lead to skin irritations and urinary tract infections. A buried penis can also make it difficult to achieve an erection, which may cause low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. 

This condition decreases the visibility and functionality of the penile length. There are many adverse effects associated with buried penis, including poor sexual function, deterioration of penile shaft skin, lichen sclerosis development, penile carcinoma, and decrease in self-image. 

Treatment Options

Losing weight can help reduce any fat pad, but it may be an ineffective way to deal with a condition such as a buried penis. If Hidden Penis Syndrome is present at birth, it may correct itself in adolescence. However, a surgical procedure may be needed to help alleviate the physical and psychological issues associated with this condition. 

Surgical options may include one surgery or a combination of procedures. It is important to know that individual risk and complications may vary, as well as the outcome of your surgery. Dr. Elist will discuss all possibilities with you during your consultation. Surgical options include:

• An aesthetic penile implant can be placed, such as Penuma, which may help improve the look and length of the penis.
• Detaching the ligaments that connect the base of the penis to the pubic bone. 
• Skin grafts that cover areas of the penis where skin coverage is needed.
• Suction lipectomy, which will use catheters to remove fat around the penis.
• Abdominoplasty can help remove fat and skin from the region.
• A panniculectomy removes the pannus which is the excess tissue and skin that hangs over the genitals and thighs. 
• Ecutheonectomy is where the pad of fat just above the pubic area is removed. 

Penuma Implant

As mentioned above, surgical management is often needed to help provide length to the penis. Everyone differs in the way they need to be treated and the outcome each surgery provides. However, in a clinical review, it was found that the recommended procedure to treat a retractile penis is with the use of the Penuma implant. In most cases, this penile implant allows the penis to emerge from the pubic fat or tissue by deterring retraction due to the rigidity of the implant. 

The Penuma implant consists of a soft medical-grade silicone tube that is inserted under the penile skin via a suprapubic incision. This implant comes in various sizes, which accommodates a variety of penile measurements. Penuma helps stretch the penis outward, which has resulted in alleviating the issues of buried penis syndrome. 

Before and After Photos

Click here to review surgical results of Buried Penis Syndrome using the Penuma implant.

Benefits include: 

• Enhanced and natural feel and appearance
• Potential increases in penis width and flaccid length
• Removable at any time
• No interference with normal penis function
• Completely customizable implant to perfectly suit your needs

Results may vary. During your consultation with Dr. Elist, he will go over all possible complications, risks, benefits, surgical and non-surgical alternatives. Keep this in mind when reviewing before and after photographs, as well as reading testimonials from other patients. 

Correction of Retractile Penis Clinical Study with Penuma

During a clinical review, 3 patients who all suffered from retractile penis received the insertion of the Penuma implant. 2 of the 3 patients also had suprapubic lipectomy to help decrease the amount of pubic fat. The lengthening nature of the implant prevented the retraction of the penis into the suprapubic fat pad. 

The third patient who only had the insertion of the implant was able to maintain successful results and prevent reoccurrence of the retractile penis symptoms. This study only focused on a small number of patients, but all three received the Penuma implant and had successful results. 

In conclusion, the Penuma implant can be viewed as a simplified treatment for prepubic recession and retractile penis. The implant has been proven to help improve buried penis syndrome. All results may vary, but in this clinical trial, all 3 patients received successful treatment for their condition. 

In addition, all three patients reported issues with low sexual confidence and low self-esteem. With the insertion of the Penuma implant, there are advantages of enhancing the look of the penis. Each patient took a post-operative survey of 1.5 to 2 years later and reported an increase in self-esteem, self-confidence, and sexual confidence.  

Contact Us Today

If you are suffering from Buried Penis Syndrome, contact us today to set up a consultation. Dr. Elist will present all treatment options to you and help you decide on which option is best for you. 

The above discussion is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with a physician before pursuing surgery.