The penis has always been a symbol of masculinity to the extent it is revered and worshiped in many cultures. Men have always been fixated on the size of the penis. Stories abound about how Indian yogis used weights to lengthen their penis. Penis size has always been the subject of much debate and anxiety among men. Small or inconspicuous penis needs to be differentiated from Micro-penis.
When it comes to measurement of penile length, the most important parameter that needs to be measured is stretched penile length which is usually measured from the hip bone to the tip of the penis at full stretch. In infants if it is more 1.9cm then a micro penis can be ruled out. A true micro-penis occurs when there is a hormonal irregularity after 12 weeks of intra uterine life. Either there is a malfunction of the brain hormones or hormones from the testis.
Treatment focus rests on exogenous administration of testosterone in infancy and in puberty. Surgical options depend on procedures used for lengthening the penis and for increasing the girth. Penile lengthening can be attempted with skin flaps and suspensory ligament dissection. Girth enhancement can be done by Injection of autologous fat, adipose tissue transplantation or by using a venous graft.
Conclusion
It is important to understand the psychological needs of the patients presenting with a small penis or micropenis. Even though patients with micropenis report dissatisfaction, a majority of them have a normal sexual life. This is an important fact to be remembered.
