Summary
Buried penis is a condition wherein the penis gets buried in the surrounding tissue/skin. Buried penis is common in infants and small kids but can be seen in adults too. Buried penis can be caused due to the defect in the penile suspensory ligamentous system or overgrown abdomen fat or the scrotum. (Penile suspensory ligamentous system consists of 3 types of ligaments that hold the penis in its place when erect or in normal conditions.). Treatment for buried penis is surgical.
What is a buried penis?
Buried penis is the condition where the penis is literally buried in the fat or tissue around it. In some cases, the tip of the penis may be visible and in worst cases, it may get completely buried and hidden. The surrounding fat or tissue may form from: (Causes of buried penis)
- An enlarged scrotum (can be due to a problem with scrotum that overgrows or due to accumulation of fluids inside the scrotum.)
- Obesity – the abdomen area gathers a lot of fat including the area around the penis.
- Congenital defect – Problem in the ligaments that support/hold the penis.
What are the problems that could arise from a buried penis?
Some issues become obvious if you think about it. Following are few of them:
- If the penis is buried, urinating becomes a problem. If the tip of the penis is just out, some urine may spill on the enlarged area but if it is buried completely inside, urinating becomes a problem without getting the area drenched with urine.
- One can forget about erections and sex. He may have erections but the penis still lies inside the bulged area.
- Constant moisture in the area can lead to a ton of diseases including Urinary Tract Infections.
- The situation can affect psychologically which in turn may affect work and personal life.
Treatment options for buried penis
In very few cases, the condition may resolve on its own but if it doesn’t, surgery will be the only option. What exactly is done during the surgery depends on what caused the tissue around the penis to overgrow.
- If the scrotum is overgrown due to the accumulation of fluids, the fluids are drained. Further procedures may be needed depending on the outcome of the procedure.
- Scrotal swelling can also result in the burial of the penis. Removing the swollen part of the scrotum, relocating the penis, grafting skin on the penis shaft as required will be done.
- If a lot of fat in the lower abdomen area caused the issue, liposuction (suction lipectomy)will be an option.
- Tummy tuck procedure may also be done that involves removing the excess fat and also adjusting the skin (by removing the excess part of it).
- Any defects in the ligaments of the penis may be corrected. If there is excess scar tissue that has grown under the penis, that will be removed.
Treating buried penis condition with medicines
Most often this is not the case. Medicines don’t help anything that needs a surgical intervention. Some prescription antibiotics may be given to prevent or treat urinary tract infections. A psychological counselling may be needed in individuals who are depressed or stressed about this treatable condition.
