Seventeen years' experience of penile fracture: conservative vs. surgical treatment

Penile fracture is the rupture of the tunica of one or both corpora cavernosa due to direct blunt trauma to the erected penis. Partial or complete rupture of the urethra or injury to the deep dorsal vein may accompany penile fracture.

To compare conservative and surgical treatment modalities in terms of duration of hospitalization, early and late complications such as penile nodule and curvature, erectile dysfunction, and painful erection.

Treatment results and complications in two groups were evaluated with history and physical examination, and International Index of Erectile Function-5 Questionnaire was used for erectile function assessment. Methods. The charts of 42 men diagnosed with penile fracture were retrospectively reviewed, and two treatment modalities were compared: conservative (Group I) and surgical (Group II). Results. Between 1991 and 2008, a total of 42 patients with penile fracture were followed in our clinic for a mean of 18 months (range: 6-30 months). Five men who refused surgical treatment were treated conservatively, and the other 37 patients underwent surgical treatment. In Group II, the most common complication was painful erection (in 4 of 37 patients, 10.8 %), whereas in Group I, 80 % (4/5 patients) suffered complications such as wound infection, painful erection, penile nodule and curvature, and erectile dysfunction. Conclusion. Diagnosis of penile fracture can be based on history and physical examination; diagnostic tests such as ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging are generally not required. Fractures must be repaired either immediately or delayed. Because management with emergency surgical repair is the most effective approach, with the lowest complication rate, surgical treatment should be preferred compared to a conservative approach.