Scrotal reconstruction and testicular prosthetics

Penile and testicular prosthesis following gender-affirming phalloplasty and scrotoplasty: a narrative review and technical insights

Background and Objective

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals may seek gender-affirming phalloplasty with specific functional goals, including erectile function sufficient for penetrative sexual intercourse. Individuals seeking penile prosthesis placement must accept the potential risks to their phallic anatomy.

Methods

We review current practices at our center and narrative review of literature discussing techniques for penile prosthesis and testicular prosthesis placement after phalloplasty and scrotoplasty, as well as surgical outcomes, and quality of life outcomes where available.

Key Content and Findings

Early discussion of a staged approach to phallic construction with a last step of implant placement is important during initial phalloplasty counseling. Pre-operative counseling at our multi-disciplinary center includes: discussion of surgical history, complications, goals and priorities; physical exam to evaluate phallic size and position, scrotal size, and other anatomic findings that may influence prosthesis selection; urinary evaluation, including uroflowmetry with post-void residual, and a cystoscopy with retrograde urethrogram if indicated based on symptoms or urinary studies, and discussion of surgical risks, benefits and alternatives. Although none of the commercially available penile prosthesis devices in the United States are designed for phalloplasty, modern inflatable and malleable prostheses are adapted for use in the post-phalloplasty setting. Due to the lack of native corpora cavernosa, highly variable phallic anatomy, and the need to adapt implants designed for natal penile anatomy, complication rates of prosthesis placement after phalloplasty remain high, with reported ranges of complications from 20% to 80%.

Conclusions

Major complications requiring surgical revision are common relative to implant placement in natal penile anatomy, and include: infection requiring explantation, device extrusion, erosion, migration or malposition, inadequate rigidity, poor aesthetic result, pain, decrease or loss of erogenous and/or tactile sensation, device failure, injury to the urethra, and injury to the neurovascular supply of the penis with resultant partial or complete flap loss. This broad range of complication rates represents the variability with which results are reported and reflect a lack of clear reporting guidelines, significant variability in techniques, and need for more standardization. To optimize outcomes, it is important that surgeons have an in-depth understanding of phalloplasty anatomy and are equipped to manage potential complications in the short- and long-term.

Combination of conservative and surgical methods in the treatment of giant lymphedema of the scrotum: A case report

Objective

Genital lymphedema is a severe, disabling condition associated with a malfunction of the lymphatic system. Primary lymphedema of the scrotum is a variant of congenital dysplasia of lymphatic vessels. Secondary genital lymphedema is much more common and can be caused by parasitic invasion (filariasis) or damage to the lymphatic system during the treatment of cancer (radiation therapy, lymphadenectomy). Healthcare providers are frequently unable to detect and treat this illness successfully in ordinary clinical practice. This paper uses the case of a patient with stage 3 secondary lymphedema (unknown genesis) of both lower extremities and lymphedema of the scrotum, complicated by recurrent erysipelas, a history of lymphorrhoea, impaired skin trophic and multiple papillomatosis, to demonstrate the efficacy of a combination of conservative and surgical methods in the treatment of giant lymphedema of the scrotum.

Methods

In the treatment, the combination of decongestant physical therapy (CDPT, CDT) according to M. Földi was used at pre-surgery and post-surgery stages, combined with a reconstructive operation, including the removal of the affected tissues of the urogenital region, phalloplasty, and scrotoplasty with rotational skin flaps.

Results

A decrease in the circumference of the lowest extremities in the lower leg area by 68 cm on the right and by 69 cm on the left was achieved by conservative treatment. Due to the combination of conservative and surgical treatment, the patient's body weight decreased by 69.4 kg, and the scrotum decreased by 63 cm. Subsequently, the patient fully recovered his sexual function.

Conclusion

A combination of complex decongestive physical therapy and surgery is necessary for patients with advanced genital edema. The isolated use of surgical or conservative treatment does not provide a sufficient improvement in the patient's quality of life. Modern plastic surgery technologies enable patients to achieve complete functional and cosmetic recovery, while proper selection and usage of compression hosiery help preserve and improve the outcomes acquired following treatment.

Genital Reconstruction following Fournier's Gangrene

INTRODUCTION

Fournier's gangrene is a urological emergency, comprising of type I necrotizing fasciitis resulting in anatomic defects affecting the perineum, perianal region, and external genitalia in both men and women, often requiring reconstruction.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the different reconstructive techniques for Fournier's gangrene.

METHODS

A literature search was performed on PubMed with the search terms "Fournier"s gangrene" "genital reconstruction" and "Fournier's gangrene phalloplasty." The European Association of Urology's guidelines on Urological infections were also consulted for recommendations.

RESULTS

Reconstructive procedures include primary closure, scrotal advancement flaps, fasciocutaneous flaps, myocutaneous flaps, skin grafts, and phalloplasty. There is insufficient evidence to support that flaps lead to better outcomes than skin grafts, or vice versa, particularly for scrotal defects. Both techniques have been shown to have satisfactory aesthetic results, with good skin color match and natural scrotal contour. With regards to phalloplasty, there is a lack of data specifically relating to Fournier's gangrene, as most articles were addressed toward gender affirmation surgery. Furthermore, there is a lack of guidelines in both the immediate and reconstructive management of Fournier's gangrene. Lastly, the outcomes reported following reconstructive surgery have been objective rather than subjective, meaning that patient satisfaction was rarely recorded.

CONCLUSION

Further research is required in the field of reconstructive surgery specific to Fournier's gangrene, which should also take into consideration patient demographics and subjective reports regarding cosmesis and sexual function. Michael P, Peiris B, Ralph D, et al. Genital Reconstruction following Fournier's Gangrene. Sex Med Rev 2022;XX:XXX-XXX.

Pedicled superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flap for male genital reconstruction: A case series

BACKGROUND

Different issues may cause defects in the genital region, including urological, infective, oncological and genetic problems which often lead to significant defects. This is a very delicate region and a successful coverage requires a thin, pliable and reliable solution. In this setting the SCIP flap might be an outstanding procedure. Despite being a well-known solution in the groin region, its employment for genital reconstructions is still poorly described. For this reason, we gather our experience with this procedure showing the efficacy of the SCIP flap in this specific region.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In the present case series we included 6 male patients who received a soft tissue defect reconstruction by means of pedicled SCIP flap over the last year. The average age was 53.6 years old (range 34-79 years). Among them, 5 patients received a surgical excision because of severe acne (2 cases), Fournier's gangrene (2 cases), or scrotal squamous cell carcinoma (1 case). In 1 case the cause of the missing volume was testicle agenesis and the reconstruction was performed for cosmetic purposes. Size of the defects ranged from 7 cm × 4 cm to 20 cm × 6 cm. Elliptical shaped flaps were designed either mono- or bilaterally according to the need. All the flaps were supplied by the superficial branch of the SCIA. The range of rotation varied between 150° and 180° in order to reach the affected area.

RESULTS

The flaps' dimension ranged from 8 cm × 4 cm to 20 cm × 6 cm. All the patients were successfully treated. In 1 case we encountered a small wound dehiscence, which was managed conservatively. The mean follow-up was 9.5 months (range 6-12 months). Good cosmetic result was achieved in all cases and no urinary or sexual dysfunctions were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The pedicle SCIP flap represents a reliable solution for genital and inguinal defects reconstructions. Its versatility can be exploited throughout the region providing very good quality tissues that can be used for the most disparate situations.

Reconstructive surgery of the scrotum: a systematic review

The term scrotoplasty embraces several techniques which aim to restore a normal scrotal appearance and function. We provide here a quick reference tool to allow the urologist to select the appropriate surgical strategy among the several available options. A comprehensive research was carried out on MEDLINE/PubMed to identify relevant studies concerning this topic, including a range of key words, e.g., scrotoplasty, ventral phalloplasty, scrotal reconstruction, scrotomegaly, penoscrotal web, scrotal lifting, scrotal reduction, scrotectomy, scrotal lymphoedema. Scrotal skin defects may be related with Fournier's gangrene, traumatic events, and surgery for genital cancers or peno-scrotal lymphoedema. The reconstructive management of these conditions is relatively reproducible in the hands of experienced urologists, if aware of the basics of scrotal surgery. Primary tension-free wound closure and local pedicled flaps typically allow optimal surgical outcomes for repairing most of these scrotal defects, with split-thickness skin grafts (STSGs) and/or distant flaps being required only when dealing with extensive skin losses. The demand for genitals' aesthetic surgery among adults is on the increase recently. Although the scientific evidence regarding this topic is scarce, reduction scrotoplasty and peno-scrotal webbing correction techniques are easy, safe and effective solutions to improve genital cosmesis, being carried out in isolation or in combination with penile prosthesis implantation. More robust scientific evidence is needed to achieve a uniformed consensus regarding the optimal surgical management in this broad field, and surgical innovation should continue to refine current reconstructive techniques.

Transgender Scrotoplasty and Perineal Reconstruction With Labia Majora Flaps: Technique and Outcomes From 147 Consecutive Cases

PURPOSE

Labia majora, the embryologic homologs of the scrotum, are ideal donor tissue for transgender scrotoplasty. The technique is detailed, and surgical outcomes are assessed for scrotoplasty using labia majora rotational advancement flaps.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of phalloplasty patients who underwent either primary or secondary labia majora flap scrotoplasty and perineal reconstruction from October 1, 2017, to December 1, 2019. Bilateral elevation and rotational flap advancement from the posterior to anterior position formed a pouch-like scrotum. Perineal reconstruction involved multilayered closure with apposition of the inner thigh skin.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 12.5 months (0.5-26 months). One hundred forty-seven scrotoplasties were performed. Of the 147 total scrotoplasty patients, 133 had labia majora flap scrotoplasty and perineal reconstruction with single-stage phalloplasty. Distal flap necrosis occurred in 6 patients (4.1%); 5 were ipsilateral to the groin dissection required for phalloplasty. Large (>1 cm diameter) perineoscrotal junction dehiscence occurred in 7 patients (4.7%). All wounds were managed conservatively except for 3 patients who developed urethrocutaneous fistulas at the perineoscrotal junction. All 3 patients required fistula repair. Two (1.4%) scrotal hematomas and 3 (2.0%) perineal hematomas were seen; all required operative intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Labia majora flap scrotoplasty via the bilateral rotational advancement technique and perineal reconstruction can be safely performed during phalloplasty. Minor wound complications are common and frequently heal with conservative management. Wounds that do not heal may be associated with urethral complications. Hematomas are rare but usually require operative intervention.

3D Printing Improved Testicular Prostheses: Using Lattice Infill Structure to Modify Mechanical Properties

Patients often opt for implantation of testicular prostheses following orchidectomy for cancer or torsion. Recipients of testicular prostheses report issues regarding firmness, shape, size, and position, aspects of which relate to current limitations of silicone materials used and manufacturing methods for soft prostheses. We aim to create a 3D printable testicular prosthesis which mimics the natural shape and stiffness of a human testicle using a lattice infill structure. Porous testicular prostheses were engineered with relative densities from 0.1 to 0.9 using a repeating cubic unit cell lattice inside an anatomically accurate testicle 3D model. These models were printed using a multi-jetting process with an elastomeric material and compared with current market prostheses using shore hardness tests. Additionally, standard sized porous specimens were printed for compression testing to verify and match the stiffness to human testicle elastic modulus (E-modulus) values from literature. The resulting 3D printed testicular prosthesis of relative density between 0.3 and 0.4 successfully achieved a reduction of its bulk compressive E-modulus from 360 KPa to a human testicle at 28 Kpa. Additionally, this is the first study to quantitatively show that current commercial testicular prostheses are too firm compared to native tissue. 3D printing allows us to create metamaterials that match the properties of human tissue to create customisable patient specific prostheses. This method expands the use cases for existing biomaterials by tuning their properties and could be applied to other implants mimicking native tissues.

Pain Management Strategies in Contemporary Penile Implant Recipients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the most recent literature citing opioid-sparing multimodal analgesic strategies used to manage perioperative pain in patients who underwent inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery and to provide the penile implant surgeon a variety of non-opioid-based pain management strategies for IPP management.

RECENT FINDINGS

Interventions performed in the pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-operative arenas have all been shown to effectively lower pain scores and reduce opioid consumption. Certain surgical techniques performed during IPP surgery have helped with post-operative discomfort patients may feel after surgery. Multimodal analgesia (MMA) protocols adopted from other surgical fields and other urologic subspecialties that are implemented in IPP surgery have promising results with regard to post-operative pain control and opioid consumption. Protocols that implement a combination of refined surgical technique and multimodal analgesia offer substantial benefit to patients undergoing IPP surgery. Further work is needed to assess long-term pain control and opioid use in patients that undergo IPP surgery using these innovative strategies.

A Modified Scrotoplasty for Treating Severe Penoscrotal Webbing in Children

To compare a novel modified W-incision scrotoplasty (MWS) operation method with the conventional V-Y scrotoplasty for treatment of severe penoscrotal webbing (PSW) in children a retrospective study was conducted on 26 children. Circumcision combined with modified scrotoplasty was used to repair the webbed penis and phimosis of children and another 32 patients undergoing V-Y scrotoplasty served as the control group. There was a statistically significant difference of angle improvements of penis and scrotum in a horizontal position (-66 ± 10; -57 ± 6, P < 0.001) and the parent satisfaction score (Five Likert Scale) (4.7 ± 0.56; 3.8 ± 0.47, P < 0.001) between the two groups. All 26 children who underwent MWS presented with no serious postoperative complications, and there was no significant difference in surgical complications compared to children treated with V-Y scrotoplasty.

A novel 'Batman' scrotectomy technique for the management of scrotal lymphoedema following treatment for penile cancer

Background

To describe a novel 'Batman' scrotectomy technique and present our single centre experience in the management of secondary scrotal lymphoedema in penile cancer patients.

Methods

A retrospective review of the medical records of penile cancer patients with extensive and bothersome penoscrotal lymphoedema failing conservative therapy between 2013 and 2018. We analysed patients' demographics, pre-operative disease stage, post-operative outcomes and complications.

Results

Seven patients with a history of penile cancer and problematic scrotal lymphoedema were managed using a novel 'Batman' scrotectomy technique. The mean age was 56.4 (range, 28-71) years. The mean inpatient stay was 4.1 (range, 2-7) days. Two patients (28.6%) were found to have incidental metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the scrotal skin on histological analysis. One patient developed superficial wound dehiscence (Clavien-Dindo grade II) and two patients had mild post-operative residual penile lymphoedema. Following a mean follow-up period of 19 months, 2 patients died due to metastatic penile cancer. One patient developed skin metastases in his thigh and perineum. All of the patients reported a good cosmetic and functional outcome on post-operative review.

Conclusions

Genital lymphoedema is an uncommon side-effect of penile cancer treatment. In severe cases where patients fail conservative treatments, surgical intervention using this technique is effective and feasible.