Penile girth augmentation by injectable fillers: a comprehensive review of imaging features and inflammatory complications

Injectable Penile Enhancement Procedures: A Review of Agents, Risks, and Complications

Penile dysmorphophobic disorder describes men who feel their normal penile size is inadequate. Penile fillers have been used to address penile size dissatisfaction. However, unpredictability of these procedures can yield unfavorable outcomes. Reactions to these foreign bodies are inherently uncertain, owing to an array of materials, concentrations, and biocompatibility. Management of complications also varies. As fillers are more commonly used in cosmetic procedures to augment facial features, most genitourinary surgeons are unfamiliar with these therapies. This review seeks to describe the available materials, techniques, and risk profiles of the various types of fillers used for penile augmentation.

The Efficacy of Injection Penile Girth Enhancement as an Option for Small Penis Syndrome Management

BACKGROUND

In recent years aesthetic injection techniques with soft tissue fillers have become popular worldwide due to their effectiveness, safety, and low cost. There is no standard approach to the management and follow-up of patients seeking penile enlargement procedures described in the literature, and the surgical penile enlargement methods are controversial.

OBJECTIVES

The goals of this study were to assess the effect of injection penile girth enlargement on sexual relationship satisfaction, confidence, and self-esteem, and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of this procedure for the management of men with small penis syndrome (SPS).

METHODS

This was a single-center, clinical case series study executed from January 2019 to February 2021, which involved 148 men who were unsatisfied with the shape of their normal-size penises and requested penis girth correction.

RESULTS

A total of 132 patients completed full treatment and follow-up. Mean girth enlargement was 1.7 ± 0.32 cm for the midshaft and 1.5 ± 0.32 cm for the glans of the penis. Satisfaction with sexual life improved. Mean scores increased by 17.9 ± 3.04 points for sexual relationship satisfaction and by 12.2 ± 3.17 points for confidence. The mean score for self-esteem increased by 8 ± 2.8 and by 4.3 ± 0.97 points for overall relationship satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Penile enlargement with hyaluronic acid injection positively affects sexual relationship satisfaction, confidence, and self-esteem of men with SPS. The rate of psychosocial improvement does not correlate with penile size changes. It is a simple, safe, and effective technique that can be used in daily clinical practice.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Reconstruction Using a Scrotal Flap with Autologous Augmentation for Delayed Infection Caused by Penile Filler Injection: A Case Report

Penile augmentation using filler injections is gaining popularity; however, complications such as foreign body reactions can arise, leading to issues like penile ulceration and necrosis, subsequently necessitating reconstruction. The existing method of the reconstruction of the penis is primarily aimed at filling the deficit. In this paper, we describe a case in which a scrotal flap and autologous augmentation were utilized to treat a soft tissue defect caused by a delayed infection following a penile filler injection. The patient, a 41-year-old male, had received an Aquafilling® (Biomedica, Prague, Czech Republic) filler injection seven years earlier and later developed a delayed infection. After debridement, the penile defect spanned the entire shaft, and the circumference of the flaccid penis was 7.5 cm. Using a bilateral scrotal flap technique, the lower margins of both flaps were rolled inward after de-epithelialization to achieve autologous augmentation. Over the three-month post-surgery follow-up, neither infections nor flap necrosis were observed. The penile circumference increased to 12 cm, and the patient reported high satisfaction with the outcome. This new surgical technique can be widely applied as treatment for a variety of penile defects.

Aesthetic Penile Augmentation Procedures: A Comprehensive and Current Perspective

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Some men experience small penis syndrome (SPS), a body dysmorphic disorder in which a patient believes their penis to be small even when it is clinically average. As cosmetic surgery becomes more widely accepted, management of SPS may present a challenge for urologists. We aim to provide an updated review of aesthetic penile augmentation procedures.

RECENT FINDINGS

Augmentation procedures range from invasive to noninvasive. Surgical solutions include grafts and flaps, suspensory ligament release, and suprapubic lipectomy. Minimally invasive solutions include injections of fillers (hyaluronic acid, polylactic acid, and polymethyl methacrylate). Noninvasive solutions include external devices such as vacuum pumps and traction devices. In the current climate, aesthetic penile augmentation is becoming a desirable option for many patients but remains clinically controversial. Our review summarizes recent and relevant studies and demonstrates the need for further research and consensus on penile augmentation procedures.

Penile Girth Injection Complications: A Case Report

Introduction

Penile enhancement procedures are becoming more common in men looking to achieve a more desirable penile aesthetic. We describe a case of post-procedural dermatitis after receiving penile girth enhancement injections in an adult male and discuss management of penile girth injection side effects.

Materials and Methods

We review and present our case alongside a discussion of girth injection complications.

Results

Patient's exam and symptoms improved after treatment.

Conclusion

Post-procedural complications after penile girth injections seem to be under-reported and unfortunately can result in severe deformity and dysfunction of the penis.

Baird Bryce A, Robertson N, Broderick Gregory A. Penile Girth Injection Complications: A Case Report. Sex Med 2021;9:100445.