Evaluation and Treatment of Adult Concealed Penis

Abstract

Concealed penis is a rare congenital disorder most commonly seen in children and the condition and surgical management have been well described. In contrast, there is a paucity of information with regards to adult concealed penis. Adult concealed penis may be due to trapping from skin contraction related to lichen sclerosis, cicatricial scars following surgical procedures, or prepubic adipose tissue causing poor phallic exposure. One of the greatest risk factors for concealed penis is obesity, and as this becomes a national pandemic, the incidence of adult concealed penis may increase. Therefore, a greater number of urologists may be faced with treating this difficult condition. This article reviews the etiology of adult concealed penis and describes the patient evaluation and various surgical approaches.