Aetiology and management of injuries to male external genitalia in Nigeria

Objective: The recent increase in road traffic accidents and civil violence has resulted in a significant rise in injuries to male external genitalia, hence the need to document this new trend. Methods: All men and boys who presented to our institution with injuries to the external genitalia between 1996 and 2005 were evaluated for the cause, type and severity of injury. Treatment and factors determining outcome were also evaluated. Patients were followed up with regular clinical examination and investigations to detect late complications. Results: The mean age of the 131 patients was 28 (±3.2) years. Road traffic accidents and gunshot accounted for 68% and 16% of injuries, respectively. Avulsion injuries occurred in 25 cases, including complete avulsion of the penis, scrotum and testes in 2 cases; 7 cases involved penile amputation. Overall, there were 89 penile, 42 scrotal and 17 testicular injuries. About 22% of cases were managed non-operatively. Complications of treatment included wound infection and urethral stricture, seen in 42 (32%) and 12 (9.4%) cases, respectively. Associated injuries were seen in 41% of cases. Conclusion: Genital injuries resulted mainly from road traffic accidents and gunshot. Some injuries were associated with severe tissue loss. However, for the majority, function and cosmetic acceptability of the external genitalia were restored. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.