A penile fracture or penile fracture is a broken penis. A penile fracture is a rare injury that can occur during sexual intercourse and involves a tear in the wall of one of the erectile tissues in the penis. Symptoms of a penile fracture include a popping or cracking sound, severe pain, swelling, immediate loss of erection and bruising of varying sizes. A penile fracture is not the same as a bone fracture or bone fracture. Instead, it is a break in the tunica albuginea and sometimes also involves the corpus cavernosum, an erectile tissue, two of which are part of the penis in humans. Uncontrolled vaginal intercourse and aggressive masturbation are the most common causes of penile fracture. Penile fracture is a medical emergency, and emergency surgical repair is the usual treatment.
- What is a penile fracture?
- Symptoms of a penile fracture
- Causes of a broken penis
- Risk factors
- Sexual intercourse
- Penis cracking
- Call a doctor
- Examination and diagnosis
- Interview and physical examination
- Visual art investigation
- Treatment of a penile fracture
- Recovery
- Prognosis
- Prevention
What is a penile fracture?
A penile fracture is a break in the tunica albuginea, a connective tissue layer that provides strength to the erectile tissues. And sometimes one or both erectile tissues (corpora cavernosa) are also involved. A penile fracture is a medical emergency. If you have a broken penis, you should go to a hospital as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment. Prompt treatment can help prevent permanent damage including sexual and urinary problems.
Symptoms of a penile fracture
If you receive a strong blow to the penis, the penis may be painful or bruised. However, a penile fracture is a more serious injury. The following symptoms may indicate a penile fracture:
- audible popping or popping sound
- sudden loss of your erection
- severe pain (penile pain)
- dark bruising around the fracture
- curved penis
- blood coming from the penis nice
- difficulty urinating or pain when urinating
Causes of a broken penis
A penile fracture occurs when the tunica albuginea breaks due to sudden trauma or bending of the penis. The erectile tissues under the tunica albuginea can also tear. These erectile tissues are made of spongy tissue and normally fill with blood when you become sexually aroused, causing an erection. A fracture can also damage the urethra or urethra.Common causes of penile fracture are:
- forceful flexion of the penis during (often turbulent and uncontrolled) sexual intercourse
- a hard blow to the penis in an erect state during a fall, car accident or other accident
- intense and uncontrolled masturbation
T he most common cause of penile fracture in sexually active men is trauma sustained during vaginal intercourse.
Risk factors
Sexual intercourse
A 2014 study in Brazil showed that intercourse, in which the woman takes a dominant position and sits on top of the man, carries the greatest risk of penile fracture, while the missionary position in which the woman lies on her back and the man on top of her, with heads on the same side is considered safest. The study hypothesized that when a woman is on top, she usually controls the movements and her entire body weight lands on the erect penis. She cannot stop the movement if the penis has misaligned penetration. Conversely, when the man directs and controls the movements, he has a better chance of terminating the penetration impulses in response to pain, thus limiting damage.[1]
Penis cracking
Men in certain Middle Eastern cultures practice taqaandan or penis cracking. This involves gripping the shaft of an erected penis and bending the tip until you hear an audible clicking sound. Men do this for several reasons, such as:
- to end an unwanted erection
- trying to enlarge or straighten their penis
- out of habit, like cracking your knuckles
Call a doctor
If you suspect a penile fracture, see a doctor as soon as possible. If left untreated, a fracture can permanently damage the penis. A broken penis can also lead to erection problems (erectile dysfunction).MRI scan / Source: Istock.com/© james steidl
Examination and diagnosis
Interview and physical examination
A doctor can confirm that there is a penile fracture based on an interview about your complaints and the circumstances in which the complaints arose, and a physical examination.
Visual art investigation
The doctor may then have imaging tests performed, such as:
- A special X-ray, the so-called dynamic cavernosography, which requires the injection of a special dye into the blood vessels of the penis and allows the venous drainage of the penis to be examined and any cavernovenous leakage to be visualized.
- An ultrasound scan of the penis, which images the internal structure of the penis with sound waves.
- MRI scan to create detailed images of the inside of the penis.
Treatment of a penile fracture
Penile fracture usually requires surgery. The surgeon sutures the tear in the tunica albuginea and corpus cavernosum. The main goals of treatment are to restore or maintain your ability to have erections and maintain urinary function.
Recovery
After the operation you will usually stay in the hospital for one to three days. The doctor will prescribe pain medication and antibiotics.After the operation, it takes several months for the fracture to fully heal and heal. The doctor checks whether recovery is going well. You should not have sexual intercourse for at least a month after the operation.
Prognosis
Non-surgical treatment leads to complications in 10-50% of cases, including erectile dysfunction, permanent curvature of the penis, damage to the urethra and pain during intercourse, while surgically treated patients experience a complication rate of 11%.
Prevention
There are some sex positions that seem to be a little riskier for your penis, such as the one where the woman sits on top of the man. The missionary position is the safest. Reduce the risk by making sure your penis is fully erect before penetration. If you don’t, your penis is more likely to torsion or twist, which could increase your risk of penile fracture.Note:
- Leonardo O. Reis, Marcelo Cartapatti, Rafael Marmiroli, Eduardo Jeronimo de Oliveira Júnior, Ricardo Destro Saade, and Adriano Fregonesi. Mechanisms Predisposing Penile Fracture and Long-Term Outcomes on Erectile and Voiding Functions. Advances in Urology. 2014: 1–4. doi:10.1155/2014/768158