MICROPENIS 

 


Micropenis is defined as a normally structured penis that is below the normal size range for an infant (penile length < 2.5 standard deviations below mean for age and race). Normally, the length of a newborn boy's penis is between 2.8 to 4.2 centimeters with a circumference of 0.9 to 1.3 centimeters. This measurement is taken by carefully stretching the penis and measuring from the tip of the penis to the base of the penis. A penile length of less than 1.9 centimeters is usually considered micropenis. 

This condition may be considered a minor form of ambiguous genitalia with correlated medical and psychological problems similar to those of the major intersex form. The scrotum usually is normal, but testes often are small and undescended. In a few cases, the corpora cavernosa are severely hypoplastic. Measurement of penile length is very important in differentiation of the various types of pseudomicropenis (e.g.the buried penis in the obese infant and the penis concealed by an abnormal skin attachment).

 

 

ETIOLOGY

 
Micropenis can occur alone, but usually occurs in combination with other disorders. Hormone disorders that cause an abnormal level of hormones, which are involved in development of the sexual organs, may be seen in combination with micropenis. This can involve the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus. Syndromes where this is evident include the following:

 

REFERENCES

  1. Aaronson IA: Micropenis: medical and surgical implications. J Urol 1994; 152(1): 4-14.
  2.  Anhalt H, Neely EK, Hintz RL: Ambiguous genitalia. Pediatr Rev 1996; 17(6): 213-20.
  3. Balaji KC, Caldamone AA, Rabinowitz R: Splenogonadal fusion. J Urol 1996; 156(2 Pt 2): 854-6.
  4. Bin-Abbas B, Conte FA, Grumbach MM: Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and micropenis: effect of testosterone treatment on adult penile size why sex reversal is not indicated. J Pediatr 1999; 134(5): 579-83.
  5. Hendren WH: The genetic male with absent penis and urethrorectal communication: experience with 5 patients. J Urol 1997; 157(4): 1469-74.
  6. Moore PJ, Hawkins EP, Galliani CA: Splenogonadal fusion with limb deficiency and micrognathia. South Med J 1997; 90(11): 1152-5.