Management of Buried Penis
What is a Buried Penis?
A buried penis is a penis that is completely buried in prepubic fat and can usually be found in obese patients with excessive fat in the lower abdomen or when excessive penile skin has been removed during circumcision, or when both situations coexist.
Having a buried penis can severely affect the quality of life as both sexual and urinary functions are usually severely compromised. Since the patient is not able to expose the penis while urinating, the pooling of urine in the abdominal skin folds causes progressive damage and maceration of the pubic and penile skin and promotes recurrent urinary tract and skin infections. If this condition is left untreated, recurrent urinary tract infections can eventually lead to renal damage. The skin, chronically exposed to the irritant chemicals present in the urine, is macerated and frequently presents degenerative changes such as Lichen Sclerosus (LS).
What Treatment Options Are Valuable for Buried Penis?
The management of buried penis frequently requires a combined approach with the input of both the bariatric surgeon and the uro-andrologist.
Morbidly obese patients need to lose a significant amount of weight first and may, therefore, benefit from the intervention of the bariatric surgeon.
Once patients have reached the target weight, the uro-andrologist can address the issue of the buried penis. Best results are achieved by combining the excision of the suprapubic fat pad and of all the excess abdominal skin with the reconstruction of the penile skin previously lost following excessive circumcision or affected by LS.
In selected patients, a targeted liposuction can be offered to correct the excess of suprapubic fat as an alternative to surgical excision.
Once all skin affected by LS has been excised, penile reconstruction is achieved with the use of non-genital skin grafts.
In expert hands, surgical management of buried penis yields excellent functional and cosmetic results and allows most patients to resume normal sexual and urinary function.
Buried Penis Treatment in London
Dr. Giulio Garaffa is a leading buried penis specialist in London. With extensive expertise in uro-andrology and reconstructive surgery, Dr. Garaffa offers personalized, effective solutions that restore comfort, confidence, and functionality, helping patients achieve lasting results and an improved quality of life.
