Long-term outcome of penile fracture treatment

Abstract

Objectives: Penile fracture is a rare injury, usually resulting from direct trauma to the erect penis during sexual intercourse. Our goal was to evaluate the best diagnostic methods and the late complications following surgical treatment of penile fracture. Material and Methods: We studied retrospectively 11 patients with penile fracture in a period of 10 years (1985-1995). Results: In 55% of the cases, the injury occurred during sexual intercourse. All patients presented with a very suggestive clinical picture (pain, detumescence and hematoma) and only 2 were submitted to further investigation (ultrasonography) to confirm the diagnosis. Only one patient had urethral bleeding and therefore was submitted to retrograde urethrogram, which confirmed urethral injury. All patients were treated by immediate surgery, through a circular subcoronal incision and degloving of the penis to allow a thorough exploration. All patients had a tunica albuginea tear that was promptly repaired, and 2 patients (18%) had associated urethral injury (one had no symptoms) that was also repaired. All patients did very well after surgery and only one had a mild curvature, which did not hinder intercourse during follow-up (18 months). Conclusions: Penile fracture has very typical clinical signs and, therefore, further investigation is usually unnecessary. Early surgical treatment is associated with a low incidence of late complications.