An Innovative Strategy for Non-Grafting Penile Enlargement: A Novel Paradigm for Tunica Expansion Procedures

Techniques for Penile Augmentation Surgery: A Systematic Review of Surgical Outcomes, Complications, and Quality of Life

The increase in practices related to enhancing penile size can be attributed to the belief that an improved genital appearance contributes to a man's virility, coupled with an altered self-perception of his body. It is crucial to tailor interventions to meet the genuine needs of patients by thoroughly assessing their history, psychological state, and potential surgical benefits, all while considering the associated risks of complications. This systematic review aims to summarize the available evidence on outcomes, complications, and quality of life after penile augmentation surgery, examining both minimally invasive and more radical techniques. A search of the PubMed and Scopus databases, focusing on English-language papers published in the last 15 years, was performed in December 2023. Papers discussing surgery in animal models and case reports were excluded from the present study unless further evaluated in a follow-up case series. The primary outcomes were changes in penile dimensions, specifically in terms of length and girth, as well as the incidence of surgical complications and the impact on quality of life. A total of 1670 articles were retrieved from the search and 46 were included for analysis. Procedures for penile length perceived enhancements include lipoplasty, skin reconstruction plasty, V-Y and Z plasty, flap reconstruction, scrotoplasty, ventral phalloplasty, and suspensory ligament release; techniques for increasing corporal penile length include penile disassembly, total phalloplasty, and sliding elongation. Finally, penile girth enhancement may be performed using soft tissue fillers, grafting procedures, biodegradable scaffolds, and Penuma®. In conclusion, while penile augmentation surgeries offer potential solutions for individuals concerned about genital size, the risks and complexities need to be accounted for.

Scrotal approach for tunica expansion procedure (TEP) for penile girth and length restoration during penile prosthesis implantation in patients with penile angulation due to Peyronie's disease and erectile dysfunction: technique and outcomes

Peyronie's disease is often comorbid with erectile dysfunction and can cause significant penile shortening. We describe our modified tunica expansion procedure (TEP) technique of penile length preservation and girth enhancement with correction of penile angulation in patients with mild Peyronie's disease (<30 degree angulation, or hourglass deformity, no hinging) and erectile dysfunction presenting for inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery. A retrospective review of IPP placement from one high volume surgeon was performed. A total of 474 patients' charts from June 2017 to June 2021 were reviewed and those charts of patients undergoing modified TEP in the setting of Peyronie's disease were analyzed. Average increase in length and girth were measured and means with standard deviations calculated. The modified TEP is performed through a scrotal approach and involves complete eversion of the penis with dissection of Buck's fascia off the underlying tunica. Subsequently, staggered scorings of the underlying tunica are performed allowing for circumferential girth enhancement and length preservation. In men with Peyronie's disease, these scorings are preferentially concentrated on the side of the plaque to allow straightening without loss of length. A total of 32 patients with Peyronie's disease from the larger cohort underwent the modified TEP. Mean increase in length of distal corpora was 2.8 ± 0.8 cm (range 2.0-3.4 cm) (measured using Furlow before and after penile eversion with TEP), while mean increase in girth (measured at midphallus prior to prosthesis insertion and after IPP inflation) was 1.6 ± 0.4 cm (range 1.2-2.2 cm). There were no reported complications. A scrotal approach to TEP is an easy to perform technique that can be used to restore length and enhance girth in men with Peyronie's disease undergoing insertion of IPP. Additionally, it is a customizable approach that can also be used to correct mild penile angulation.

Risk and benefits of penile length preservation techniques during penile prosthesis implantation: a systematic review by the young academic urologists sexual and reproductive health working group

Background

Penile shortening, frequently resulting from end-stage Peyronie's disease (PD), has a negative impact on patients' sexual activity and overall quality of life, especially when accompanied by Erectile dysfunction (ED). Various surgical techniques have been described to manage concomitant ED and penile shortening through penile prosthesis (PP) implantation.

Objectives

To evaluate the benefits and risks of different penile length preservation techniques during PP implantation.

Design

A systematic review of the available literature on the use of penile length preservation maneuvers in conjunction with PP implantation was conducted.

Data sources and methods

For this systematic review, three databases (Medline, Embase and Cochrane) and clinical trial.gov were queried for relevant publications from 1 January 1990 to 1 September 2022. The review process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.

Results

The qualitative analysis included 15 relevant articles involving 1186 adult patients who underwent penile length preservation techniques during PP implantation. Penile lengthening of 1-7 cm was reported. Overall, postoperative complications were described in up to 21.7% of cases. Only five studies reported functional outcomes, showing a significant improvement in postoperative period based on the administered questionnaire (e.g. IIEF - International Index of Erectile Function, EDITS - Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction).

Conclusion

Penile length preservation procedures appear to offer a viable option for managing acquired penile shortening, particularly in cases of PD. However, they are associated with a significant risk of complications. Proper patient selection, thorough discussion of risks and benefits, and referral to high-volume centers are mandatory to achieve optimal outcomes and minimizing complications.

Trial registration

PROSPERO database registration CRD42022360758.

Multidisciplinary approach and management of patients who seek medical advice for penile size concerns: a narrative review

We aimed to provide an overview of the strategies available to manage patients concerned about their penile size and to provide useful surgical hints regarding the most common penile enlargement approaches, based on our surgical expertise in this field. A comprehensive research was carried out on MEDLINE/PubMed database to identify pertinent studies concerning penile enlargement issues. The search strategy included a range of keywords; e.g. penis, penile, enlargement, augmentation, lengthening, girth. Management of penile size-related concerns represents a real challenge for the urologist, especially when dealing with patients suffering from penile dysmorphophobic disorder (PDD). A multidisciplinary preoperative assessment, including a psychiatric/psychological evaluation, may help in discerning those patients who would benefit the most from counselling/conservative management from those who would benefit from surgery instead. Conservative approaches include the use of vacuum-based and penile-stretching devices, which have shown encouraging levels of efficacy and safety. Over the last decades, different surgical strategies have been developed, aimed at either increasing flaccid penile length or improving penile girth. Penile lengthening procedures are more established, and satisfactory results can be achieved by experienced, large referrals' volume, surgeons. To date, there is lack of consensus regarding the penile girth enhancing techniques, and therefore these should be regarded as experimental. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary to identify patients with PDD, who should not be offered surgical intervention and should be referred for psychiatric/psychological counselling instead. The surgical approach should be tailored to the subject's unique anatomy and underlying conditions.

The Efficacy of Suspensory Ligament Release and Pubic Lipectomy Via Penopubic Z Plasty During Penile Prosthesis Implantation in Improving Sexual Satisfaction: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

The utility of penile suspensory ligament release (SLR) in the setting of penile prosthesis implantation (PPI) has received limited attention in the literature.

AIM

To assess the efficacy and safety of penile SLR release, pubic lipectomy (PL), and the utility of penopubic Z-plasty (ZP) during malleable PPI in improving sexual satisfaction compared to that achieved with the conventional method.

METHODS

Between August 2018 and April 2020, 61 patients with refractory erectile dysfunction were prospectively randomized into 2 groups; group A included 31 patients who underwent PPI with SLR and PL via ZP, and group B included 30 patients who underwent conventional PPI via a penoscrotal incision.

OUTCOMES

Penile length was assessed at 3 months, and sexual satisfaction was assessed up to 1 year after PPI using both validated and non-validated tools.

RESULTS

The median operative time was higher in group A than in group B (170 min; interquartile range [IQR] [160-190] vs 97.5 min; IQR [90-110] P < .001).The median pre- to postoperative differences in functional and visible penile lengths for group A were 1.5 cm; IQR [0-2] and 2.5 cm; IQR [1-3.5], respectively, while those in group B were both 0 cm; IQR [-1 to 0] P < .001). Group A patients reported higher scores in the International Index of Erectile Function satisfaction domains than the group B patients did (13; IQR [12-14] and 9; IQR [8-10] vs 11; IQR [9.5-12] and 8; IQR [6.5-8.5], respectively, P < .001). Moreover, the postoperative Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction score was higher in group A than that in group B (95.40; IQR [91-97.7] vs 85.20; IQR [72.7-91], respectively, P < .001). Common complications in group A were penile edema (77.4%), penile instability (9.7%) and glans numbness (9.7%).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The benefit in patient satisfaction following SLR and PL via ZP during PPI may outweigh the incremental increase in complications.

STRENGTH & LIMITATIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first prospective randomized controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SLR, PL, and ZP during PPI. However, because an optimal tool for assessing sexual satisfaction after PPI is lacking at this time, we alternatively adopted the most used assessment tools. Further, our data applies only to malleable penile prosthesis.

CONCLUSION

SLR and PL via ZP during PPI resulted in a substantial improvement of the patients' sexual satisfaction without serious complications. Fotouh El Gharably MA, Ghoneima W, Lotfi MR, et al. The Efficacy of Suspensory Ligament Release and Pubic Lipectomy Via Penopubic Z Plasty During Penile Prosthesis Implantation in Improving Sexual Satisfaction: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial. J Sex Med 2022;19:852-863.

Auxetic Expansion of the Tunica Albuginea for Penile Length and Girth Restoration Without a Graft: A Translational Study

Introduction

Several conditions can cause penile length and girth loss. Surgical techniques have been used to restore these penile alterations in patients with severe erectile dysfunction during penile prosthesis implantation. One technique uses multiple small incisions in a mesh pattern (similar to a skin mesh) with satisfactory curvature correction without using a graft, however, this technique does not allow simultaneous increase in penile length and girth.

Aim

To identify a new surgical technique that increases both the length and girth at the same place on the corpora cavernosa (CC), allowing a simultaneously longitudinal and transverse increase of the tunica albuginea.

Methods

A sheet with a star-shaped perforation was created using a mathematical model to allow a longitudinal and transversal increase in the material. Two previously published penile model simulators, with and without deformity, were used to test the mechanical modification of this incision pattern in the CC.

Main Outcome Measure

The effect of the incisions pattern on the geometry of the CC simulator.

Results

The star-shaped incision (auxetic) simultaneously increased the length, girth, and volume of the CC simulator. This auxetic technique could correct any penile deformity, re-establishing the original penile anatomy. The new auxetic incision is only a conceptual and experimental technique awaiting clinical evidence.

Conclusion

The data presented here show that the auxetic technique successfully increases both the length and girth at the same place on the CC simulators, opening a new potential solution to correct challenging cases of complex penile deformities and to restore volume loss.

Miranda A, Auxetic Expansion of the Tunica Albuginea for Penile Length and Girth Restoration Without a Graft: A Translational Study. Sex Med 2021;9:100456.

Penile shortening complaints in males with erectile dysfunction: a narrative review on penile lengthening procedures during penile prosthesis surgery

Patients complaining of short penile length pose a challenge in urology practice. Those men who present seeking penile lengthening surgery usually overestimate 'normal' penile length, and may in often cases relate their penile length with the degree of masculinity and self-esteem. Penile prosthetic devices are the gold standard treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) after failure of conservative options. Penile shortening is the most prevalent long-term complaint after successful inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) placement. This has a significant impact on patient’s overall satisfaction and quality of life. Using PubMed, we performed a thorough literature review of the current procedures of preservation or enhancement of penile length as well as reported perioperative protocols in patients undergoing penile prosthesis (PP) insertion. Keywords used were “penile lengthening”, “penile enhancement”, “penile girth”, “inflatable penile prosthesis” and “glans augmentation”. Several surgical techniques can be offered in the setting of penile shortening concurrently with PP insertion, e.g., sub-coronal approach of PP placement, sliding technique, modified sliding technique (MoST), multiple-slide technique (MuST), and tunica mesh expansion procedure (TMEP). Adjuvant techniques can also improve subjective penile length include, ventral phalloplasty, suprapubic lipectomy, suspensory ligament release and use of expanding penile implants. Preoperative protocols including use of a vacuum erectile device, traction therapy also seem to improve postoperative outcomes, minimizing postoperative pain, and encouraging the early device use. Currently, there is no consensus among experts on a particular lengthening procedure or when they can be performed to optimize outcomes. Furthermore, it is imperative to set proper expectations before surgery, with extensive patient and partner counseling. When used in the properly selected patient, penile lengthening procedures show promising results with minimal complication rates.

Evolution of techniques for aesthetic penile enlargement during prosthesis placement: a chronicle of the Egydio non-grafting strategy

Since penile prostheses only provide axial rigidity, correction of penile deformity and enlargement of the visible penis during implant surgery may be desired. Evolving techniques of tunica expansion have made it possible to avoid grafting and preservation of the cylindrical appearance without bulges and indentations. After two decades of devising individualized solutions for patients and continuous enhancements of existing surgical solutions, Dr. Paulo Egydio has arrived at his Tunica Expansion Procedure (TEP). This strategy is his newest iteration of a lengthening techniques without grafting accompanied by penile prosthesis implantation. The TEP Strategy permits surgeons to use their own intuitive reasoning to determine the best pattern of multiple, small, staggered incisions to promote length and girth enlargement.