A 58-Year-Old Male Experienced Paraphimosis
The first patient I saw at work today was a 58-year-old male who came in due to edema of the foreskin in the lower body for three days. During my examination, I found it to be a case of paraphimosis. The occurrence of this issue left the patient somewhat confused, as he told me, "I haven’t been messing around outside." I explained to him that this condition is not caused by promiscuity!
Paraphimosis is relatively common in andrology and is considered an "emergency" in this field. It often occurs suddenly, and if not treated promptly, it can lead to local edema, infection, or even skin necrosis.
The causes of paraphimosis include: a foreskin that cannot normally be retracted suddenly being forced back and not returned to its original position in time, or the presence of a constricting ring. Under the influence of such a ring, the foreskin that is not promptly repositioned may develop secondary edema. Therefore, the occurrence of paraphimosis is not related to age.
Among the two causes mentioned above, the first is the most common and has more noticeable consequences. This is because a foreskin that has never been retracted before is often difficult to reposition once suddenly retracted. This situation is more frequently observed in young individuals without sexual experience.
In fact, if paraphimosis occurs, the treatment method is relatively straightforward. It involves repositioning the foreskin through two approaches:
1. If the duration of paraphimosis is short and edema is not significant, manual reduction is often possible.
2. If the paraphimosis has persisted for too long or the constricting ring is particularly pronounced, making manual reduction impossible, surgical intervention is required. The surgical method involves incising the constricting ring to achieve release and repositioning.
For males who have experienced paraphimosis, it is generally recommended to undergo circumcision after the local edema has completely subsided. This helps avoid the possibility of recurrent paraphimosis.
Therefore, there is no need to panic if paraphimosis occurs. Seeking timely medical treatment is key!