Abstract
Paraffinoma of the penis is a rare but potentially debilitating consequence of subcutaneous mineral-oil injection for penile enlargement. We report a 34-year-old male who presented after failed urethral catheterization with diffuse penile induration and pain during intercourse, following self-injection of paraffin into the preputial region. Clinical assessment and penile ultrasound with color Doppler supported the diagnosis; histology confirmed sclerosing lipogranuloma without malignancy. The patient underwent complete degloving, radical excision of infiltrated tissues, and reconstruction using full-thickness skin grafts harvested from the right biceps and left thigh. Postoperative care included compression dressings and targeted antibiotics, with satisfactory graft take and acceptable cosmetic outcome at 10 and 40 days. Persistent dissatisfaction with penile size highlighted the need for integrated psychological assessment alongside surgical management.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank the nursing staff of the Romolo Hospital Urology Unit for their assistance in postoperative care.
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Jacopo Lauria, MD: Conceptualization; Data Curation; Investigation; Writing – Original Draft; Literature Review. Giulio Zappalà, MD; Gianluca Scarpelli, MD: Investigation; Data Curation. Flavio Calogero Sidoti, MD: Methodology; Surgery Assistance. Antonio Vitarelli, MD: Methodology; Surgery. Antonio Greco, MD; Vincenzo Andracchio, MD; Francesco Chiaradia, MD: Resources; Validation. Stefano Alba, MD: Supervision; Clinical Management; Final Approval.
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All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations, including the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. As this is a single-patient case report, formal approval from an institutional review board was not required in accordance with institutional policies. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for participation and for the publication of clinical details and identifiable images.
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Lauria, J., Zappalà, G., Sidoti, F.C. et al. Paraffinoma of the penis following subcutaneous paraffin injections: a case report and surgical management. Int J Impot Res (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-025-01169-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-025-01169-5
