Treatment of male genital lymphedema with non-elastic fabric

Lymphedema is a specific type of edema stemming from a failure in the formation or drainage of lymph. This condition can be congenital or acquired. The clinical treatment of genital lymphedema involves compression mechanisms of the penis. In acquired cases, the individual is born with the lymphatic system intact, but this system is damaged at some point in life, which can lead to lymphatic insufficiency and the development of edema. The non-elastic material for the penis is grosgrain that enable the adjustment to the proper pressure. This report describes a case series of penile lymphedema treated with compression mechanism. Thirteen consecutive patients with penoscrotal lymphedema aged 22 to 56 years (mean: 42.3 years) were treated. Inclusion criteria were patients with primary and secondary penoscrotal lymphedema. Volume larger than three times the normal size of the scrotum was excluded. Reductions in edema occurred in the penis in all patients. Such reductions varied in accordance with the adherence of the patients to the use and duration of compression. The patients used the compression device at times that best fit their schedules. An interesting aspect was the fact that the patients reported the possibility of leaving the penis the size they wished-neither very small nor very large-for sexual activity. All were able to control the size of the edema within the standards they considered acceptable.