Penile burn reconstruction after self-mutilation using electrothermal device-a case report

Abstract

Introduction

Isolated genital burns are not frequent injuries; more often, they are part of larger surface-area burn injuries. Aetiology and mechanisms of genital burn injuries differ regarding country, age and patients’ socioeconomic status.

Aim

The aim is to describe a rare case report of a 69-year-old man who incurred a deep penile burn after using an electrothermal sexual device.

Methods

The patient was admitted to the Department of Urology (blinded for review) with deep penile burn a week after the injury. Debridement, conservative therapy, and deferred reconstruction due to extensive lymphoedema were performed. Due to numerous small, contracted skin scars of penile corpus arising from multiple healed burns caused by self-mutilation by repeatedly using an electrothermal sexual device, the penile defect reconstruction was performed. A local ventral foreskin skin flap in combination with a full split-thickness graft was done in order to avoid extensive scar contracture with possible penile deviation.

Results

There were no complications in postoperative care in the follow-up period of 26 months, with satisfactory aesthetical and functional results.

Conclusion

In the case of penile wounds, the reconstruction technique depends on the injury's size, depth and localisation of the damage.