Pathogenesis (development of disease)
Foreskin hypertrophy is an enlarged foreskin covering the glans penis.
Phimosis refers to the narrowing of the foreskin. This makes it impossible to strip back the prepuce (foreskin) over the glans penis. In 10-40 % of the operated phimosis a lichen sclerosus (chronic disease of the connective tissue, which probably belongs to the autoimmune diseases) is found. To be distinguished from this is the “physiological infant phimosis” with a fusion of the glans with the inner epithelium of the foreskin, which usually comes off in the third year of life. Paraphimosis (also called Spanish collar) refers to a strangulation/constriction of the glans penis due to phimosis (constricted foreskin). Venous drainage is interrupted, resulting in edematous swelling of the glans penis. If left untreated, gangrene (a special form of coagulation necrosis; it occurs after prolonged relative or absolute ischemia and is characterized by necrosis (death of cells), tissue shrinkage, and blackish discoloration) may develop.
Etiology (Causes)
Behavioral causes
- Traumatic caused by trying to solve the problem too early.
Disease-related causes
Skin and subcutaneous (L00-L99)
- Kraurosis penis – atrophic-sclerotic transformation of the inner leaf of the prepuce (foreskin) and glans penis (glans), pruritus (itching), meatus stenosis (narrowing of the urethral orifice).
- Lichen sclerosus (LS) (synonym: Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus (LSA) – chronic inflammatory, non-contagious (infectious) skin disease; probably an autoimmune disease; the LS is up to the so-called extragenital form (about 10-15%) mainly genital localized; the disease leads to atrophy of the skin.
- Scleroderma – disease from the group of forms of collagenoses, which leads to sclerosis (hardening) of the skin alone or the skin and internal organs (especially digestive tract, lungs, heart and kidneys).
Genitourinary system (kidneys, urinary tract – sex organs) (N00-N99).
