Penile Reconstructive Surgery-For severe penile insufficiency
An absent or inadequate penis is always a distressful situation with huge psychological and physical impact. Although uncommon, it is a challenging condition to treat. Penile reconstruction surgeries are performed mainly as radical treatment for these conditions. Reconstructive surgery for serious penile deficiency is essential because of the destructive effect on sexual function both physically and psychologically.
The conditions requiring penile reconstructive surgery are congenital problems (for children with hypospadias, epospadias, micropenis or buried penis), trauma (Amputations, fracture of penis), penile cancer and female to male sex reassignment. Generally, reconstruction is very demanding and selected surgical options depend on etiology and severity of injury. This surgery also encompasses a broad range of invasive procedures established to treat several penile abnormalities.
For penile reconstruction, different cosmetic and functional requirements are long familiar:
1. The aesthetic appearance of the neophallus must be as normal as possible.
2. The penile shaft must contain a urethra to allow voiding in a standing position and with a normal stream.
3. The penile shaft must allow the implantation of a penile stiffener in order to allow intercourse.
4. Morbidity of the donor area must be minimal with an easily concealed scar.
Even though penile reconstruction is an intricate procedure, but now it is feasible to accomplish most of the above mentioned requirements using the advanced techniques developed in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Penile reconstructive surgery is generally not very painful. All lesion and wound closures are carried out with proper and meticulous plastic surgical techniques. Most patients are required to stay nearby for about 3-4 postoperative days.
According to statistic, majority of patients are quite satisfied after penile reconstruction from the time when their appearance again turns into much more formal. Patients are able to restart a normal life again without the serous cosmetic and functional malfunction. They will feel more confident and enjoy their normal life again.
However, the highly controversial penile augmentation needs thorough investigations and procedural standardization before being considered an option to treat short penis. There has been a considerable increase in the techniques applied to approach different penile injuries and female-to-male sex assignment.
Although technological improvement in penile reconstruction leads to its rising popularity, strict indications and accurate surgical principles for implantation should always be put into practice and followed in order to avoid unnecessary surgery and possible complications with severe psychological consequences.
