DOCTORS discovered a man’s penis was ‘turning to bone’ when he turned up at A&E after falling on his bum.
The man, 63, sought treatment after experiencing knee pain but also complained about pain in his penis while being examined.
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Upon examination, it was discovered that a rare condition called ‘penile ossification’ was the cause of the patient’s todger troubles.
It’s caused by calcium building up in the soft tissue of the penis, leading to a bony extraskeletal structure forming inside the member.
Fewer than 40 cases of penile ossification have been documented in the scientific literature.
When it does occur, it’s often linked to Peyronie’s disease – a condition where hardened tissue forms on the penis, causing it to curve and sometimes resulting in erectile dysfunction.
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It typically affects men over 40, but younger men can also get it.
What was unusual about the 63-year-old patient’s case was “the presence of ossification in the entire penile shaft”.
“The ossification usually takes place in the mid-shaft of the penis with few cases reporting involvement of the entire shaft,” medics at the Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY, explained in their report.
The man – who had a history of alcoholism – went to A&E after falling over.
According to the case report: “He was walking on the side walk with his cane when he fell onto his buttocks.
The man was able to get up but started getting knee pain shortly afterwards.
When he complained of pain in his member, doctors examined him but didn’t find any prostate swelling or see any unusual discharge.
They performed pelvic X-rays to look for any fractures – and discovered bone-like growth in his penis in the process.
“An extensive, plaque-like calcification along the expected distribution of the penis was evident,” medics wrote.
“The diagnosis of penile ossification along the entire penile shaft was suspected.”
The patient decided to leave the emergency department against medical advice, so doctors weren’t able to do any lab tests or follow-up examination.
The trigger for the man’s penile ossification remains unknown, but doctors suspected that Peyronie’s disease contributed to the man’s condition.
Other factors that may have led to peculiar bone growth in his penis include late-stage kidney disease, metabolic abnormalities, repeated trauma to the penis or chronic inflammation.
Penis fact vs. fiction
Though penises are the subject of much contemplation, certain myths around them reign rampant – from shoe size reflecting the size of your member, to creams and oils being able to make it larger.
On top of this, it can often feel taboo or embarrassing to ask questions about your private parts.
GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye answers burning questions you might have about your nether regions.
What is the average penis size?
The average size of a penis is approximately 9cm when flaccid/soft and about 13cm when erect.
Does your shoe size reflect your penis size?
No.
A study looking at the penises of over 100 men of varying ages looked at shoe size and penis length and found no correlation between the two.
Why is the penis shaped like a mushroom?
So, there is a ridge between the top of the shaft of the penis and the glans, which is shaped rather like a mushroom.
One theory as to why this is is known as the ‘semen displacement theory’, which suggests that the shape of this ridge essentially scoops out and removes any sperm left behind in the vagina by a previous partner, who might be a genetic rival evolution-wise.
Can you break your penis?
There are no bones in the penis, but you can still break it.
During an erection there are spongy tissues called corpus cavernosum, which fill with blood to make the penis erect.
If there is a trauma, often a violent twisting or bending motion when the penis is erect, then part of the covering of the corpus cavernosum called the tunica albuginea can burst, leading to bleeding into the penis and a very painful swelling.
It is rare and tends to occur during sex, often when a partner is on top.
Read more on penis facts and fiction here.
