 Fracture Of Penis: What Is It?
Penile Fracture: It is a rare type of penile injury. In simple words we say fracture is when a bone continuity is lost or there is a break in bone.However penis has no bone in it but there are ligaments that may get torn Penile fracture is when soft tissue of penis rupture(tear of tunica albugenia especially when cavernous sinuses are engorged) in erect state with a particular snap. Penile fracture mostly occur after blunt trauma. Structure Of Penis: Simply penis is a cylindrical structure when flaccid and assume a triangular prism shape with rounded angles In erect shape. It consists of two types of muscles and is covered with fibrous tissue or covering or tunica. The two types of muscles are corpus spongiosum and corpus cavernosum. Surrounding these muscles are twolayers of coverings(tunica). Bend penis is attached by ligaments to pubic arch(part of hip bone) Mechanism of penis fracture: In erect state blood is pumped into veins and corpora are engorged and the fibrous layers(tunica) are stretched and thinned out.If in this state corpora are made to buckle(bend) there will be rupture of tunica(covering sheath) and loud snap will be heard that is penile fracture.Fracture donot occur in flaccid state as covering is thick and corpora cant be made to buckle. Risk For Penile Fracture: Any blunt trauma may cause it. Only vigorous activity in certain sex positions may result in it. Also in masturbation if thursted against hard surface or while rolling over bed may cause it Other non-sexual events like falling on ground with face down or hard object may fall over erected penis may result in it. Symptoms: Hearing of snap at injury followed by acute severe pain , swelling , dicolouration(bruise) of penis and shape deformity. Also collection of blood (hemotoma) may be present as soft doughy swelling.Rarely scrotum swelling is there. Urinary symptoms are almost rare though urine examination is done to rule out blood in urine for injury to urethra. Long Term Problems: Erectile dysfunction may ocuur or painful erection, painful intercourse or penile deviation. Treatment: Its surgery, for sure and most injuries are at side in front. Repair is to be done immediately at hospital admission to avoid long term problems. Other methods Previously Used: Ice packs, catheter placement in urethra, erection inhibiting drugs, bandage with compression and anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics. But with these long term complication are not reduced.
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