A new repair technique for penile paraffinoma: bilateral scrotal flaps

Abstract

Although worldwide incidence is not well known, foreign-body injection is often attempted in order to increase the circumference of the penile shaft. Paraffin, Vaseline, and other materials are injected into the penile skin by the patient himself or by untrained persons who practice medicine fraudulently. Complications usually follow, such as penile deformity, skin necrosis, limited erectile function, and the inability to have intercourse. Definitive treatment of these patients includes the complete removal of skin and subcutaneous tissue infiltrated by the foreign material. Sometimes, complete removal of the foreign material may not be possible and may leave permanent foreign-body granuloma on the corpus cavernosum and/or corpus spongiosum. The remaining foreign material does not permit skin-graft coverage, which is a simple and effective method of resurfacing. In such cases, we tried a new technique comprised of bilateral scrotal flaps to provide for reliable and stable coverage. The scrotal skin, which has high elasticity, seems to be a good material for penile coverage, despite its hairy nature. In our experience, exclusively with Korean males, the scrotal hair has a low density and does not seem to cause serious problems, but patients with hirsute scrotal may be contraindicated. Since 1993, 17 patients with penile paraffinoma have been treated using the bilateral scrotal flap method. All 34 flaps survived completely and the reconstructed penis had immediate postoperative tactile sensibility. The results were successful and without any major complications.