Balanoposthitis Follow-up

  • Author: Vladimir O Osipov, MD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 25, 2012
 

Deterrence/Prevention

  • Prevention has centered on improved hygiene of the prepuce.
  • Although circumcision has been advocated for refractory or recurrent cases, this is now primarily used if improved drying and hygiene are not effective.
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Prognosis

  • The outcome is often favorable, with treatment failures often leading to further clinical examination and tailoring of the treatment to the particular offending agent.
  • Failure of response in the setting of appropriate treatment should raise the suspicion of malignancy. This necessitates a biopsy to rule out both primary malignancies and secondary malignancies involving the penis. The most common malignancy that mimics balanoposthitis is erythroplasia of Queyrat, although Bowen disease may have some clinical overlap. A single case report has described the presentation of acute promyelocytic leukemia as an ulcerating balanoposthitis.[32]
  • In a patient who is immunocompromised, the presence of a systemic fungal infection can lead to involvement of the penis and often arises as a more deeply involved ulcerating lesion. Treatment of this disease, which can be caused by any number of fungal agents, involves clearing the systemic infection and immunodepression.
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Patient Education

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Vladimir O Osipov, MD  Staff Pathologist, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Labtests Auckland, New Zealand

Vladimir O Osipov, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Society for Clinical Pathology, College of American Pathologists, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Scott M Acker, MD  Associate Professor, Director of Dermatopathology, Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Scott M Acker, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Medical Association, American Society for Clinical Pathology, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Peter Langenstroer, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Urology, Medical College of Wisconsin

Peter Langenstroer, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Urological Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Milton W Datta, MD  Assistant Professor, Departments of Pathology, Urology, and Hematology-Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine

Milton W Datta, MD is a member of the following medical societies: College of American Pathologists and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Abdul-Ghani Kibbi, MD  Professor and Chair, Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jeffrey Meffert, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology, University of Texas School of Medicine at San Antonio

Jeffrey Meffert, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Texas Dermatological Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

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