In addition to the 'regular' incidents that send men to the emergency room, urologist Dr Elon Thompson has revealed that doctors see cases of penile fractures right throughout the year.
"We are in the winter months now so they are more common during these times. I guess this is the time when they snuggle up together but we see these patients all year round," he told THE WEEKEND STAR. A recent survey from sexual wellness retailer Lovehoney among Brits showed that 33 per cent of 1003 respondents pointed to bruising as the most common injury in the bedroom. However, women (47 per cent) were more prone to bedroom accidents than men (33 per cent).
Thompson explained that a broken or fractured penis happens when there is a forceful bending of the penis, usually during sexual intercourse.
"It occurs when the penis has missed entry into the vagina and hits on the bed or the bone of the female and bends under significant force. Usually an associated popping sound is heard and the penis will become swollen and looks like an egg plant. It will then grow soft at that time," Thompson said.
"The reason this happens is the area that the blood is confined in is surrounded by a thick tissue that holds the blood in place to give the erection. That is how the term 'hood' and hoody' comes into place because it is as hard as that," Thompson added.
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
If left untreated, the injured male may possibly experience erectile dysfunction (ED). While the condition can be painful, Thompson said the discomfort is oftentimes the least of the patients' concerns. They are usually more concerned about explaining their injuries to their significant others.
"A lot of times it doesn't actually happen with their actual wife or girlfriend and this may pose as a challenge in the hospital sometime. We however navigate these challenges as they come, but the most important person at the time is the patient and how we are going to get them treated. This could mean staying overnight in the hospital," he said.
A penile fracture will require surgical repair and no form of sexual intercourse is recommended for at least four weeks.
"We usually make an incision on the penis and identify the area where the injury is. What we have to do is repair the injured tear so that the integrity of the tissue is maintained. We would have advised the patient about things like ED as a problem later on, but they usually tend to do well if their erections were good before," he said.
In addition to penile fractures, Thompson said he has also attended to patients with foreign objects stuck in their private parts, as well as those who experienced frenulum tearing.
"There is a part of the penis that attaches the foreskin to the head of the penis called the frenulum, and during forceful retraction whether during intercourse or masturbation, the frenulum can actually tear if it is short or tight. If it tears, there is a blood vessel that supplies that area and it can bleed significantly. It can be frightening for a man when he sees this torrential bleeding from his penis," he said.
