Can a torn frenulum be reattached?

Xiao Zhang is 28 years old and has reached the age of marriage. However, a urological issue has been troubling him, but due to its sensitive nature, he has always been too embarrassed to speak about it. Under the urging of family and friends, Xiao Zhang finally started dating a girlfriend. Unexpectedly, their relationship progressed quickly, and they became intimate. However, due to his previous "male secret," Xiao Zhang felt extremely nervous. During intimacy with his girlfriend, due to excessive force, his previously non-retractable foreskin suddenly retracted, and the frenulum area tore, causing severe pain and significant bleeding. When he came to the clinic, I learned that he had phimosis, and the excessive force had caused a frenulum tear. Upon hearing it was a frenulum tear, he became worried about whether it could be reattached. I explained to him that due to the heavy bleeding, frenulum suturing was necessary and that it could be treated with sutures, which reassured him.

Here, let’s explain what a frenulum tear is and whether it can be reattached.

Frenulum injury (with severe cases involving frenulum rupture) is a relatively common clinical issue. It mainly occurs in patients with phimosis who suddenly retract the foreskin during sexual activity or forceful masturbation, causing the frenulum to tear due to excessive pulling force. The tear may occur at the connection point to the glans or slightly away from it. Complete rupture is relatively more severe, while partial rupture is less so.

So, can a torn frenulum be reattached?

It’s important to clarify that frenulum injuries, even ruptures, do not always require reattachment. For minor injuries without significant bleeding, relatively conservative treatments can be applied, including local wound care, debridement, and bandaging. In some cases, not even oral medication is needed, as the injury can heal on its own. For severe frenulum injuries involving complete rupture, bleeding is often significant, and only frenulum repair surgery can ultimately stop the bleeding. The healing outcome is generally good after surgery.

It should be noted that frenulum rupture can occur not only due to excessive force but also because the frenulum itself is too short. Therefore, if a short frenulum is discovered during repair surgery, frenulum lengthening surgery is often required to reduce local tension and minimize the risk of secondary injury. Additionally, if an injury has occurred once, extra care must be taken in the future to avoid forceful actions, as the probability of a secondary injury is significantly higher after the first occurrence.