Penile fractures on the rise — urologist

THE University Hospital of the West Indies and the Kingston Public Hospital see at least one person with penile fracture each month, a few of which are repeat patients.

This disclosure was made yesterday by Dr Dean Wong, one of six residents in training at the Jamaica Urological Society (JUS) symposium at the Conference Centre in downtown Kingston. He was presenting on the delayed approach to managing penile fractures at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Dr Wong told the Jamaica Observer that, though the actual incidence of penile fracture is generally unknown, he believes for such a small population it is high.

"Aggressive" sexual intercourse, he said, is the main cause of penile fractures, which is trauma to the tunica albuginea of the erect penis. However, other people report fractures during masturbation, rolling over in the morning and onto an erection, and in Mediterranean countries, according to Dr Wong, the penis is physically broken. He advised though that this is not seen in Jamaica.

He told the Observer that patients with penile fracture are generally between 20 and 50 years old.