Advancing Precision in Penile Length Measurement: Evidence-based Synthesis of Stretched Penile Length INdicator...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric endocrinology
• Human anatomy
• Medical measurement techniques

Background:

• Penile length (PL) measurement is crucial in pediatric endocrinology.
• Existing methods for PL estimation exhibit significant heterogeneity.
• Lack of a standardized technique complicates accurate assessment, particularly for stretched penile length (SPL).

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing evidence on penile length measurement techniques.
• To propose a standardized and reliable technique for estimating stretched penile length (SPL) in children.
• To address the heterogeneity observed in current PL measurement practices.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases for studies on human PL measurement techniques (1990 onwards).
• Identified and analyzed devices, techniques, participant characteristics, and environmental factors influencing PL measurement from 145 studies (90,895 participants).

Main Results:

• Stretched penile length (SPL) was the most frequently reported PL state (81.3%).
• Diverse measurement devices were used, including rulers (54.68%) and calipers (9.7%).
• Key factors influencing SPL measurement were identified and integrated into the proposed SPLINT technique.

Conclusions:

• Significant heterogeneity exists in current penile length (PL) estimation techniques.
• The proposed Stretched Penile Length Indicator Technique (SPLINT) offers a standardized approach.
• SPLINT aims to improve the accuracy and consistency of SPL measurements in pediatric populations.