Balanitis
| Balanitis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Inflammation of the glans penis and the preputial mucosa of a circumcised penis (balanitis) | |
| Specialty | Urology |
Balanitis is
Signs and symptoms
- Small red erosions on the glans (first sign)
- Redness of the foreskin
- Redness of the penis
- Other rashes on the head of the penis
- Foul smelling discharge
- Painful foreskin and penis
Complications
Recurrent bouts of balanitis may cause scarring of the preputial orifice; the reduced elasticity may lead to pathologic phimosis.[4] Further complications may include:
- Stricture of urinary meatus
- Phimosis
- Paraphimosis
Cause
Inflammation has many possible causes, including irritation by environmental substances, certain medications, physical trauma, and infection such as bacterial, viral, or fungal.[5][6] Some of these infections are sexually transmitted.
It is less common among people who are
Diagnosis
Diagnosis may include careful identification of the cause with the aid of a good patient history, swabs and cultures, and pathological examination of a biopsy.[5]
Types
- carbon dioxide laser; [10] and more recently, Albertini and colleagues report the avoidance of circumcision and successful treatment of Zoon's balanitis with an Er:YAG laser.[11] Another study, by Retamar and colleagues, found that 40 percent of those treated with CO2 laser relapsed.[12]
- Circinate balanitis, also known as balanitis circinata, is a serpiginous annular dermatitis associated with reactive arthritis.
- Pseudoepitheliomatous keratotic and micaceous balanitis
Treatment
Initial treatment in adults often involves simply pulling back the foreskin and cleaning the penis.[1] However, some topical antibiotic and fungal ointments may be used for treatment for mild cases. Depending upon severity, hydrocortisone and other steroidal creams may be used upon consultation.
Epidemiology
Balanitis "is a common condition affecting 11% of adult men seen in urology clinics and 3% of children" in the United States; globally, balanitis "may occur in up to 3% of uncircumcised males".[13]
Other animals
In
In sheep (rams/wethers), ulcerative enzootic balanoposthitis is caused by the Corynebacterium renale group (C. renale, C. pilosum & C. cystidis).
For the condition in
Balanoposthitis is believed to have contributed to the decline to near-extinction of Gilbert's potoroo.[14]
References
- ^ S2CID 127341.
- PMID 9613002.
- Perseus Project.
- ^ Phimosis at eMedicine
- ^ PMID 8707315.
- ^ Cleveland Clinic: Penile Disorders
- ^ a b Keogh G. Balanitis circumscripta plasmacellularis at eMedicine
- PMID 10101891.
- S2CID 45605100.
- PMID 2497162.
- S2CID 33098632.
- S2CID 21305117.
- ^ Balanitis at eMedicine
- S2CID 7279808.
Further reading
- Edwards S. (for the Clinical Effectiveness Group) National guideline on the management of balanitis. Association for Genitourinary Medicine (UK) and the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases (UK), 2001.
External links
