The inconspicuous penis in children

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Published on: November 30, 2010

Marcello Cimador1, Pieralba Catalano1, Rita Ortolano1

  • 1Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care, University of Palermo, Via Alfonso Giordano 3, 90127 Palermo, Italy.

Nature Reviews. Urology
|April 9, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Inconspicuous penis encompasses conditions like true micropenis and concealed penis. Treatment involves testosterone for true micropenis and surgery for anatomical correction in concealed penis cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Urology
  • Endocrinology
  • Anatomy

Background:

  • Inconspicuous penis describes conditions where the penis appears smaller than typical.
  • This includes true micropenis (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis defect) and concealed penis (anatomical anomalies).
  • Concealed penis subtypes include webbed penis, congenital megaprepuce, and trapped penis (post-circumcision adhesions).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define and differentiate various forms of inconspicuous penis.
  • To outline diagnostic criteria for micropenis.
  • To discuss management strategies for true micropenis and concealed penis.

Main Methods:

  • Review of anatomical abnormalities and classifications of inconspicuous penis.
  • Definition of micropenis based on stretched penile length (at least 2.5 SD below mean).
  • Discussion of treatment modalities including hormonal therapy and surgical reconstruction.

Main Results:

  • Micropenis is diagnosed when stretched penile length is significantly below age-appropriate norms.
  • Testosterone therapy shows long-term penile elongation benefits for true micropenis.
  • Surgery is crucial for penile elongation and correcting anatomical issues in concealed penis.

Conclusions:

  • Effective management of inconspicuous penis requires accurate diagnosis of its specific type.
  • Hormonal therapy and surgical interventions offer viable treatment options for improving penile length and form.
  • Understanding the distinct etiologies is key to successful patient outcomes.

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