Acquired idiopathic penile lymphedema: Successful prevention of acute phase progression with low-dose corticosteroids

Lymphedema is classified as a congenital disorder or acquired disorder. Common causes of acquired genital lymphedema include surgery, trauma, radiotherapy, neoplastic infiltration, venereal diseases and filariasis. Acquired idiopathic cases are also sometimes observed among genital lymphedema. There is no standard algorithm for the treatment of genital lymphedema. Surgical management for penile lymphedema in the chronic phase was discussed in many previous articles, however, management to prevent progression in the acute phase has been rarely mentioned. We present a case of acquired idiopathic penile lymphedema, in which histological examination was performed and acute phase progression was successfully ceased with low-dose corticosteroids. This is the first report that proposes the usefulness of low-dose systemic glucocorticoids for acquired idiopathic penile lymphedema showing rapid progression and histopathological lymphocytic inflammation.