A critical analysis of penile enhancement procedures for patients with normal penile size: surgical techniques, success, and complications.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Systematic review consisting predominantly of small case series and observational cohorts
PubMed 18760874 · doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2008.07.080
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review of MEDLINE (1965 to 2008) evaluating surgical penile enhancement techniques, success, and complications in men with normal penile size. English-language articles describing surgical treatment and outcomes were included, excluding studies with fewer than five cases. Of 176 identified papers, 34 were critically analyzed.
What was found
Penile enhancement surgery generally achieved a 1-2-cm increase in length and a 2.5-cm augmentation in girth. Reported complications included penile deformity, paradoxical shortening, scarring, granuloma formation, material migration, and sexual dysfunction, with disappointing short- and long-term satisfaction across most studies. Overall aggregate complication rates and total participant counts were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This review highlights that aesthetic penile enlargement procedures lack standardized indications and techniques while carrying substantial risks. It supports recommendations that men with normal baseline anatomy be discouraged from undergoing these invasive interventions.
Limits
The underlying evidence base is restricted to small cohort studies with variable methodology, poorly defined outcome measures, and a lack of standardized surgical protocols. The search was limited to English-language MEDLINE records.
Cited by
- supports Penile lengthening surgeries have very high complication rates.