This condition refers to a penis which appears to be small compared to a normal length and diameter of penis. This condition must be differentiated from small penis (micro-penis).
Cause of hidden penis can be congenital or acquired.
This includes:
1. Poor fixation of skin at the base of penis
2. Obesity
3. Trapped penis after circumcision
4. Trapped penis; combining causes listed above
The treatment of buried penis for children depends on the cause of the problem. Circumcision might make the buried penis more obvious. This is usually a great concern for parents especially after circumcision.
A number of conservative or surgical options are available for buried penis.
Buried penis relating to obesity should have GP and dietitian advice and the underlying condition treated.
Trapped penis due to scaring can be treated with steroid cream or simple incisions at constricting scarred-ring. This will reduce the formal redo circumcision to 70-80%. The trapped penis can be avoided if instructions are followed fully after circumcision in children with potential mild to moderate buried penis.
Congenital severe buried penis required surgical operation under General Anesthesia. The indications and timing for this operation remain controversial. In moderately severe cases, it’s my practice to operate them when they are 3-5 years old, unless they have symptoms of urinary tract obstruction.
Further advice can be obtained after I can assess the severity of the problem.
