CONGENITAL PENILE CURVATURE IN CHILDREN - A PRACTICAL APPROACH

Penile curvature is an anomaly of the male genital organ characterized by axial or lateral deviation during erection. It may be congenital o r acquired. Ventral curvature of the penis, common in the embryo, may persist in 31% of permature babies and tends to self-correction in the early months of life. Most cases present with moderate curvatures wit hout functional problems. Some may present with marked curvatures in t he early years of life, causing major psychological and functional pro blems. The authors present their experience in 16 consecutive prepuber tal cases treated surgically and propose a new classification based on embryological considerations.