My husband was born with buried penis. How to keep it clean and prevent infection?
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
My husband was born with a wholly buried penis, and it was never corrected. He is now 86 years old. He is also obese. I currently assist him with showers. Until now, we have been able to get his penis out by manipulating, but it has become increasingly difficult and traumatic. The last time he showered, we could not expose it at all and finally gave up. He is unlikely to undergo surgical correction at his age with his underlying conditions. He has had a TAVR for heart disease and COPD. He does not have diabetes. What should we do about hygiene? What complications are likely to arise, and what can we do to avoid them. I am currently taking Atorvastatin, Lisinopril, Triamterene, Furosemide, Levothyroxine, Metoprolol, Xarelto, and Amorim inhaler.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
Your husband is 86 years old male and he is not fit to go for general or spinal anesthesia but he can undergo local anesthesia. In my opinion there are two options, first apply Hydrocortisone cream on penis for six weeks twice daily and try to retract foreskin back after two weeks till full retraction after six weeks. Second you need to show your husband to a urologist for examination as he might do sort of refashioning or circumcision to release the band and enable penis tip to come out. This procedure can be done under local anesthesia which is safe. If you have any more queries please do not hesitate to ask.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for your reply.
It is not the foreskin that is the problem. His entire penis is buried and trapped in his testicles. I read about the foreskin problem, and that is not what it is. I want to know if we can do hygiene wise to prevent infection if we cannot get the penis to emerge. There is nothing to apply the cream to. Nothing is protruding at all. It looks like he has testicles but no penis. He has been that way since birth. He is going to resist seeing a urologist.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Alright, I dealt with buried penis in many patients. I understand that he is 86 years old and not willing to see a doctor. What can be done in this situation is to ensure that he is passing urine out and clean the area, keeping it dry all time. Residual urine and humidity will cause infection. After cleaning, can apply powder like baby powder to keep the area dry. Avoid fecal soiling as well if he is using diapers to change it at least twice daily. All those measures will prevent infection and complications. If he could protrude the penis at least when passing urine, make cleaning more comfortable, but it could not. Then, washing with water and drying will reduce the chances of infection. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Kind regards.
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.