Penectomy Penis Removal
Most people have never heard the term “pectonomy” before. This is because it is a medical procedure that is not often performed in the United States. A penectomy is the removal of the penis for medical reasons. Although this is a rare medical procedure, there are some medical circumstances that may require removing all or a portion of the penis. The most common medical condition that may require a pentectomy is penis cancer.
Penis cancer is a very rare form of cancer in the United States, comprising only 0.2% of all cancer in males. However, penis cancer accounts for more than 10% of all cancer in males in Africa and South America. In order to treat penis cancer, surgery is usually used in conjunction with chemotherapy, biological therapy, or radiation in order to stop the spread of the cancer and prevent the cancer from reoccurring in the future. Depending on the nature and severity of the cancer, a partial or complete penectomy may be required.
If the cancer is caught in the first stage, only the glands and the foreskin are affected by the cancerous cells. In this situation, the patient almost always undergoes a partial penectomy, during which the surgeon will only remove the cancerous cells while damaging as few healthy cells as possible. During a partial penectomy, the surgeon takes great effort to save as much of the penis as possible. The goal is to remove the cancer and still allow the patient to urinate regularly without disrupting the patient’s habits or behaviors.
In stages two through four, the shaft of the penis is also affected by the cancerous cells. The cancer may have also spread to the lymph nodes and the area surrounding the penis. In some cases, a partial penectomy may still be possible. However, especially in cases of recurring penis cancer, a complete penectomy may be required in order to stop the spread of cancer to the rest of the body.
A penectomy can be very disruptive to a patient’s life. For example, many men are very concerned that they will not be able to perform sexually after the surgery. While the head and the glands, the most sensitive areas of the penis, have been removed, it is still possible to have a regular sex life after a penectomy. It may take a little practice to find what is pleasurable again, but regular sexual activity is possible. Most men do report feeling awkward at first, but they are able to engage in regular sexual activity with their partner.
Men who have a partial or a complete penectomy often report that they feel alone and different from other men. Support groups can be very helpful to men who have undergone this procedure. If the patient does not live in a large urban area, finding a local support group can be difficult to find. There are several online support groups that can be easily accessed. It can be very helpful to patients to contact and communicate with people who have had the same procedure.
