A rare complication after circumcision: keloid of the penis

Penile keloid formation post-circumcision: A case series and review of literature

The formation of penile keloid after circumcision is an uncommon complication. Herein, we report two pediatric cases of large circumferential keloids that developed post-circumcision and were successfully treated by surgical excision and intralesional triamcinolone injections. In addition, we provide a comprehensive review of the reported cases of penile keloids that developed after circumcision in the literature to highlight the various presentations, treatment options, and outcomes for this condition.

Keloids in male genitalia-Systematic review and illustrative case report

Keloid is the maximum expression of pathological fibroproliferative skin wound healing, whose pathophysiology is not yet fully understood. Its occurrence in the perineum and genitalia is uncommon. A systematic review was carried out regarding the occurrence and treatment of keloids on the penis. An illustrative case was also reported. The review used the PRISMA checklist and was registered in PROSPERO. The entire literature period up to April 2023 was searched in the EMBASE/Elsevier, Cochrane, Scopus, Medline, BVS, SciELO, and Lilacs databases. The inclusion criteria embraced primary studies, clinical trials, prospective or retrospective cohorts, case series, case-control studies and case reports. Three hundred and sixty-one studies were found and 12 of them were included, consisting of 9 case reports and 3 case series. The most common triggering factor for keloid formation was circumcision, in 11 of the cases, of which more than half occurred in prepubescent children. Several therapies, associated or isolated, were used to treat the cases. Only one of the reported patients had scar recurrence after surgical treatment. Studies with better scientific evidence are needed to understand the involvement of keloids in male genitalia. However, keloid formation in this topography is rare, making it difficult to carry out more elaborate studies.

Are Prophylactic Measures Necessary to Prevent Recurrence of Penile Keloids?

Keloid scars result from excess collagen deposition in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue in response to surgery or tissue trauma. The penis is a rare site for keloid formation, even in predisposed individuals. Only few cases of penile keloids have been reported so far. In this report, we present penile keloids complicating neonatal circumcision in twin brothers. Risk of recurrence in previous reports and measures to guard against its occurrence are also discussed.

Literature review and case report of post-circumcision keloid management

Keloid following circumcision has been described in the literature despite the rarity of its occurrence in penile skin. In this paper, we review the literature and report the successful management of post-circumcision keloid scarring in a 2-year-old boy. After circumcision a 2-year-old boy of African origin developed keloid scarring at the circumcision site. This was treated with three intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetate over 3 months, followed by surgical excision. There was no recurrence at 6 months after excision. To our knowledge this is the 12th case of keloid following paediatric circumcision described in the literature. There is a wide range of techniques described but all are recurrence free at 6 months following repeated intralesional triamcinolone acetate injection and surgical excision. While there is no current consensus in treating post-circumcision keloid, we find that intralesional injection followed by surgical excision provides an acceptable aesthetic result, which is recurrence free.

A rare presentation of penile keloids after traditional circumcision: Case report

INTRODUCTION

Only few cases of penile keloids have been reported in the literature. There have been no published reports on penile keloids following traditional circumcision in Africa.

CASE REPORT

We present a case of a 13-year-old boy with penile keloids following traditional circumcision. The patient was successfully treated with complete excision of the keloid followed by a course of adjuvant treatment with corticosteroid injection.

DISCUSSION

Penile keloids are a rare complication despite penile surgery being common. Male circumcision is a standard operation performed worldwide for medical, religious as well as cultural reasons. Traditional circumcision continues to be practised in many African countries. Keloids are a benign hyperproliferative growth of scar tissue that can complicate wound healing. Successful treatment is classically multimodal.

CONCLUSION

This case highlights one of the more serious complications of circumcision. Although penile keloids are rare, the techniques involved in traditional circumcision potentially predispose to keloid formation in a genetically prone population.

Keloid formation after pediatric male genital surgeries: an uncommon and difficult problem to manage

INTRODUCTION

Penile and genital keloids are uncommon despite frequent surgeries in the genital area. Keloid scar pathogenesis is not well understood, and a uniform effective therapeutic regimen for keloids has not yet been established. In the present study, the clinical features and subsequent management in cases of severe keloid formation after pediatric genital surgery are described.

METHODS

A retrospective review of keloid cases that had developed after genital procedures between 2000 and 2017 was conducted. Pre-operative characteristics, operative procedures, postoperative management, and follow-up were reviewed for each case. All cases were managed by a multidisciplinary team that included plastic surgeons and dermatologists.

RESULT

Six cases developed genital keloids. The mean age at surgery was 5.6 years (± standard deviation 4.6 years). Procedures included phalloplasties, penile curvature correction, penoscrotal transposition, redo hypospadias repair, and circumcision. Treatment options included excision of the keloid ± topical steroid injections and postoperative use of silicone gel. Two cases of severe keloid lesions developed after using posterior auricular grafts. Ultimately, a successful outcome was achieved in all cases.

CONCLUSION

Genital keloids are rare and difficult to treat. Many therapeutic options are available with varying degrees of proven clinical success. As a result, pediatric urologists must be aware of advances in other fields such as plastic surgery and dermatology to treat and ideally prevent the occurrence of this serious complication.

Dermatological complications of circumcision: lesson learned from cases in a pediatric dermatology practice

We discuss 11 cases of boys who presented with dermatologic complications of circumcision in an outpatient pediatric dermatology clinic. A medical practitioner had previously circumcised all patients during the newborn period. The majority of cases were found incidentally during initial thorough dermatologic examination. Late cutaneous complications included penile skin bridge, glandular adhesion of remnant foreskin, concealed penis, and a penile epidermal inclusion cyst. Minor surgical procedures under local anesthesia were performed in all but two cases. These cases should help dermatologists recognize the common late cutaneous complications of male newborn circumcision and provide insight into potential options for early intervention and management.