- Aphallia
Aphallia is a medical condition in which the phallus (
penis orclitoris ) is congenitally absent.cite web |url=http://www.isna.org/faq/conditions/aphalia |title=Aphallia | Intersex Society of North America |accessdate=2007-12-08 |format= |work=]Incidence/prevalence
It is a rare condition, with only approximately 60 cases reported as of 1989,cite journal |author=Skoog SJ, Belman AB |title=Aphallia: its classification and management |journal=J. Urol. |volume=141 |issue=3 |pages=589–92 |year=1989 |pmid=2918598 |doi=] and 75 cases as of 2005.cite journal |author=Chibber PJ, Shah HN, Jain P, Yadav P |title=Male gender assignment in aphallia: a case report and review of the literature |journal=Int Urol Nephrol |volume=37 |issue=2 |pages=317–9 |year=2005 |pmid=16142564 |doi=10.1007/s11255-004-7974-0]
Causes
Aphallia is a rare
birth defect of unknown cause. It is not linked to deficienthormone amounts or action, but rather to a failure of the fetalgenital tubercle to form between 3 and 6 weeks after conception. Theurethra of an affected child opens on theperineum .Prognosis and treatment
Although aphallia can occur in both males and females, it is considered a substantially more troublesome problem in a male, and has in the past sometimes been considered justification for assigning and rearing a genetically male infant as a girl.
Recent advances in surgical
phalloplasty techniques have provided additional options.cite journal |author=De Castro R, Merlini E, Rigamonti W, Macedo A |title=Phalloplasty and urethroplasty in children with penile agenesis: preliminary report |journal=J. Urol. |volume=177 |issue=3 |pages=1112–6; discussion 1117 |year=2007 |pmid=17296424 |doi=10.1016/j.juro.2006.10.095] cite journal |author=Descamps MJ, Hayes PM, Hudson DA |title=Phalloplasty in complete aphallia: pedicled anterolateral thigh flap |journal=J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg |volume= |issue= |pages= |year=2007 |pmid=17574944 |doi=10.1016/j.bjps.2007.04.014]References
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