Sclerosing lipogranuloma of the penis: a review of management and classification

摘要

Enlargement of penile girth is has always long been a subject ofextensive debate and controversy. Genital injection of high-viscosityfluids like paraffin and mineral oil has been performed for morethan 100 years. The debilitating effect has been long known, andthe procedure has been abandoned by most medical practitioners.Injection often performed by non-professional persons or by thepatients themselves, in a non-standardized way. The mineral oilcontains foreign lipid that cannot be metabolized by human body,thus foreign body reaction will occur. The inflamed tissue and foreignbody reaction will result in sclerosing lipogranuloma. This disorderalso known with the injected materials names, e.g. paraffinoma,siliconoma or vaselinoma of the penis. Complications of the injectionvary from inflammation, swelling, pain, hardened penile skin, todisastrous effects like ulcers, skin necrosis, pain in erection, sexualdisability caused by pain either the patient or the sexual partner, anddeath by embolism. After injection of the mineral oil, in many patientsthe symptoms will occur almost instantly. Swelling, inflammation ofthe penile skin, redness, oedema (that will give an impression of largerpenile girth) are among the symptoms occurred. Surgery is the bestviable option to treat this disorder. Complete excision of the affectedarea, followed by covering the healthy area either by grafts or flaps.If available, scrotal skin is a good choice to cover the affected area. Agood classification system of sclerosing lipogranuloma of the penis willbe helpful in reporting and treating the disease.