Hypertrophic phimosis is a pathological condition in which, due to the lengthening of the foreskin sheets, it is difficult or impossible to find the head of the penis. This disease is also called proboscis phimosis. Pathology occurs mainly in childhood, as well as among teenage boys who are overweight. Below we find out what are the causes of hypertrophic phimosis in boys, find out how it manifests itself and how its treatment is currently being carried out.
Causes of pathology
Lengthening of the foreskin can be triggered by fatty deposits. At the same time, finding the urethral opening is usually difficult. And any violent attempts to withdraw the head of the penis lead to traumatic damage to the foreskin.
This form of the disease is often complicated by the inflammatory process, since elongated flesh provokes the accumulation of smegma. In addition, infection can occur due to mechanical injuries.
The causes of the pathology, which develops without previously arising inflammatory processes or injuries, have not yet been fully studied. A genetic predisposition is commonly considered to be involved in the occurrence of this disease.
Photos of hypertrophic phimosis can be found in the literature. The main essence of the genetic predisposition is the insufficient content of elastic substances in the connective tissue. In men, abnormal development of the heart valves of the heart can be diagnosed along with varicocele, flatfoot and a number of other diseases along with genetically determined hypertrophic phimosis.
Symptoms of pathology
Sometimes hypertrophic phimosis can occur without any subjective symptoms, manifesting only externally. This disease is characterized by frequent problems with urination, which are characteristic of the most severe stage of the disease. With hypertrophic phimosis, patients often complain of:
- the presence of discomfort and pain during sex (but it is worth noting that often this is simply impossible);
- a decrease in the intensity of sensations during intercourse;
- decreased erectile function;
- the appearance of premature ejaculation.
Other signs
In addition, for men, especially for adolescents, changes in psychological behavior are characteristic, since due to the non-standard appearance of the genital organ, different complexes are formed. In addition, hypertrophic phimosis can be complicated by infection. Against this background, the clinical picture can be enriched with local signs of inflammatory processes in the form of swelling, redness, local temperature increase and the like.
Danger of an asymptomatic course
A particular danger is associated with the asymptomatic course of the disease. Men who do not complain and do not feel discomfort may not go to the doctor for a long time or completely refuse treatment. But the lack of clinical symptoms does not at all reduce the risks of inflammatory processes.
Currently, various studies are underway that are aimed at confirming the fact that smegma stagnation is considered to be a provoking factor in the oncological processes not only in sick men, but also in their partners. In addition, long-term hypertrophic phimosis, which passes without symptoms, can be complicated by pinching the head. This is considered a very dangerous condition and requires immediate treatment.
A photo of hypertrophic phimosis in boys allows you to understand when to sound the alarm.
Diagnostics
In order to make a correct diagnosis, no special examination methods are needed at all. As a rule, a simple visual inspection is quite enough to determine what exactly bothers a man. An exception may be cases where the diagnosis of concomitant pathology is required. In the event that a man leads an active sex life, the doctor will definitely prescribe him a laboratory test to detect certain sexually transmitted infections.
In addition, an additional examination may be carried out in the presence of disorders of the genitourinary system. In this case, an ultrasound examination of the bladder and kidneys is usually performed, and, in addition, a urinalysis is prescribed.
Now let's move on to the methods of treating hypertrophic phimosis in boys and find out how today medicine helps to get rid of this disease.
Conservative treatment of the disease
At the present stage, conservative methods for the treatment of hypertrophic phimosis are becoming more popular. True, the attitude to gentle treatment is different for all doctors, and this can not be applied to every patient. Its main methods include:
- Holding tension. The essence of therapy is that a man needs to perform special exercises daily, aimed at stretching the foreskin until the head is bare. This method is effective for patients at the initial stage of the disease. Exercises must be done regularly, gradually increasing tension. The recovery rate using this method, provided that it has been prescribed and performed correctly, is approximately seventy-five percent.
- The use of corticosteroid ointments. Local use of such ointments increases the elasticity of the foreskin, reducing the risk of inflammation. Therapy is often combined with the previous method, but it is prescribed only in the absence of any contraindications. You should also be aware of the many adverse reactions that cause hormones contained in such drugs.
In the presence of hypertrophic phimosis, the effectiveness of conservative treatment is low, so it is best to treat patients surgically.
The main methods of therapy
The following methods are also used to treat hypertrophic phimosis:
- Stretching with special tools. Manipulation is carried out mainly in childhood. The essence of therapy is that a special probe is first introduced under the leaf of the flesh to disconnect the adhesions, if any. Then the clamp is introduced and with it the hole of the flesh is expanded.
- Excision procedure. Circumcision is currently the most effective way to treat phimosis. But the problem remains the absolute insecurity of the glans after surgery, that is, the risks of recurrence of phimosis are completely absent.
- Performing plastic surgery of the foreskin. Such surgery involves partial removal of tissue. After the operation, the patient recovers for a long time and there is a risk of relapse, however, the saved tissue continues to fulfill its protective functions.
- Laser treatment. The advantages of such an operation is that the tissue is minimally injured during its operation, and the pain is almost absent and patients recover very quickly. Using a laser, you can excise the flesh partially or completely.
The type of treatment for hypertrophic phimosis is selected depending on the neglect of the disease, based on the presence or absence of various complications. Basically, the prognosis for this disease is favorable, especially if patients consult a doctor on time.
What is the diagnosis of hypertrophic phimosis dangerous?
Implications for Boys
First of all, it should be noted that with phimosis in the future, big problems with sexual life may arise. Against the background of this disease, sex is most often impossible and even dangerous. The main consequence of the pathology is difficulty urinating. And in childhood, the appearance of urinary incontinence is also likely. Stagnation provokes infection not only of the flesh and head, but also of the bladder and urinary tract.
Balanoposthitis
A frequent complication of such a phenomenon as hypertrophic phimosis in a child is balanoposthitis. This disease proceeds with an inflammatory process in the head of the penis. Against this background, a typical picture of inflammation may appear in the form of swelling, soreness and hyperemia. The emergence of balanoposthitis is associated with stagnation and accumulation of smegma, which serves as fertile soil for pathogenic bacteria. The risk of inflammation is especially increased among patients with diabetes, since in this disease glucose can be excreted even in the urine, which also contributes to infection.
Paraphimosis is also possible, that is, infringement of the head of the penis by the flesh. In this condition, the affected head begins to swell, which leads to even greater compression. Recognizing paraphimosis is simple, since this disease is characterized by intense soreness along with a blue head. Help with the development of paraphimosis should be immediate, since such a condition is dangerous by the occurrence of necrosis of compressed tissue.
It is worth knowing that the longer help is delayed for such a patient, the less pain becomes, which is considered an unfavorable sign of tissue necrosis.