Foreign-body granuloma of the penis in sexually active individuals (penile paraffinoma)

Abstract

Background: The practice of insertion of foreign bodies in the penis is well documented, but the clinical characteristics of penile foreign-body granuloma (FBG) and social motivation of the patients has not been studied in large groups.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and epidemiological profile of patients with penile insertion of foreign bodies and assess the significance of social motivation.

Methods: Twenty-five heterosexual male patients, who visited our clinic from 1990 to 2005, were retrospectively studied. All of them had implanted two different types of foreign bodies in their penis and had tattoos in the same area. Twenty-five male patients with genital tattoos served as clinical controls.

Results: The age of peak incidence of patients with penile FBG was 28 years. The youngest patient was 19 years. Twenty-three (23 of 25, 92%) of the patients were from gipsy origin, and two men were of Bulgarian origin. All the patients had risky social behaviour (prisoners and beggars). The motivation of 20 (20 of 25, 80%) of the patients was to enlarge the penile size. Fifteen (15 of 25, 60%) wanted to increase the feelings of the sexual partners. The majority of the patients (23 of 25, 92%) had injection of fatty substances, and 2 (2 of 25, 8%) had undergone implantation of a plastic pellet. In 14 cases (14 of 25, 56%), the insertion of mineral oil was complicated by formation of fistulas and wide ulcers with histological features of FBG.

Conclusion: The reported cases represent an example of the detrimental effects of the insertion of foreign bodies in the penis. Immediate measurements should be performed to prevent severe outcomes.