Complications of penile self-injections: investigation of 680 patients with complications following penile self-injections with mineral oil

Johannes Nordsteien Svensøy,Palle Jörn Sloth Osther,Valentine Travers

doi:10.1007/s00345-017-2110-9

Johannes Nordsteien Svensøy, Palle Jörn Sloth Osther + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-017-2110-9

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Abstract

ObjectivePenile implants and injection of foreign materials have been described in texts like Kama Sutra for more than 1500 years, and are still being practiced around the world. The extent of this practice is unknown, and the documentation available today only scratches the surface. This study investigates and documents the complications after penile self-injections at the Mae Tao Clinic. To our knowledge, this study represents the largest series of patients representing complications to penile self-injections.Study designRetrospective study.MethodsWe investigated data on 680 patients admitted with penile self-injections during a 5-year period. Data were studied for general patient data, symptoms, time of injection, and treatment.ResultsAge at admittance ranged from 17 to 68 with a mean age of 32 years. Time between injection and presentation was registered with a mean of 36.7 months, over half presented with complications within 1 year. Most frequent complications were penile pain (84%), swelling (82.5%), induration (42.9%), purulent secretion (21.8%), and ulceration (12.8%). Of the 680 patients, 507 (74.6%) underwent surgical treatment (503 excision and 4 circumcision), while 173 (25.4%) were treated conservatively.ConclusionOur data suggest that penile self-injections with mineral oil are more prevalent in certain areas than previously acknowledged. In 5 years, more than 680 patients presented with complications to penile self-injections, of which 75% needed surgical intervention, mainly in the form of radical excision of the lesions followed by skin grafting. Preventive measures to this physically and psychologically devastating problem are highly warranted.

Highlights

Penile implants and injection of foreign materials have been described in texts like Kama Sutra for more than 1500 years
Our data suggest that penile self-injections with mineral oil are more prevalent in certain areas than previously acknowledged
In 5 years, more than 680 patients presented with complications to penile self-injections, of which 75% needed surgical intervention, mainly in the form of radical excision of the lesions followed by skin grafting

Summary

Introduction

Penile implants and injection of foreign materials have been described in texts like Kama Sutra for more than 1500 years. Stone, bullets, ivory, gems, gold, plastic and other solid objects, as well as injections with silicone, paraffin, Vaseline, petroleum jelly [1], cod liver oil [2], nandrolone decanoate [3], waxes, and mineral oils for penile augmentation have been described in the literature. Robert Gersuny was the first to describe injections of mineral oil as a medical procedure in 1899, injecting Vaseline to substitute the loss of testicles after tuberculosis epididymitis [4]. Heidingsfeld presented the first report of adverse effects of human body oil injections in 1906, describing disfiguring subcutaneous nodules after paraffin injections for facial wrinkles [4, 7]. In 1917 Fermiet and Fermiet reported similar tumours occurring weeks to

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