[Foreskin surgery]

Abstract

Balanitis, phimosis and foreskin adhesions are common indications for foreskin surgery during childhood. In phimosis, the foreskin cannot be drawn behind the glans penis because of the narrow external opening of the former. It is important to be able to distinguish between physiologic and pathologic phimosis, since their treatment is different. In adulthood, the need for surgery can be caused by phimosis, a difficult sequel of paraphimosis, recurrent inflammations of the glans penis and foreskin, diseases and cancers of the skin as well as difficulties at intercourse due to the shortness of the frenulum of the prepuce of the penis.