A broken penis is pretty much a man’s worst nightmare.
The gruesome reality of penile injuries is revealed in a new educational YouTube video from the Institute of Human Anatomy, a laboratory specializing in human cadaver research.
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 1 in every 100,000 American men will suffer from a broken penis during their lifetime. Although not life-threatening, some injuries may require surgery and weeks of recovery so that patients do not risk permanent impairment of sexual and urinary function.
One of the most common types of penile injuries are so-called fractures. Unlike bone fractures, a penile fracture involves tearing of the connective fibers, called the tunica albuginea, that surround the sponge-like tissue that fills with blood during an erection.
When the penis is erect, the tunica albuginea becomes tense against the pressure of the full penis, making the elastic fibers susceptible to breakage, and this is why injury is most often associated with vigorous intercourse or masturbation.
The faint sound of a popping or cracking sound usually accompanies the gut-wrenching pain of a penile fracture.
After a brief explanation of the anatomy of the penis, cadaver researcher Jonathan Bennion explained how penile injuries occur and what complications result from the humble accident.
According to NIH data, most penile fractures occurred while partners were engaged in missionary, “woman on top” (aka cowgirl) and “doggy style” sex positions.
“In a way, it’s kind of a matter of intention. You missed the target you were going for and hit a stationary object. Or, in other words, another part of the body that wasn’t meant to receive the penis,” said Bennion, and where else do we experience penile energy more often than during sex? This is why unusual or acrobatic sex positions are the fastest way to damage the penis and should be handled with care and clearly communicated between partners, the anatomy expert suggested.
“There has to be a level of force and tremendous speed” to cause damage, he continued, which can come from any blunt-force trauma to the erect penis. Meanwhile, in some cultures, it may even be common to voluntarily flex the penis to get rid of an erection and induce a break in the middle of the dangerous effort.
For most penile fractures, surgeons will cut through the shaft and sew the tunica albuginea back together, making any necessary repairs to tissue that would otherwise impede penile function, especially the urethra.
Those who ignore their damage can be left with a permanent curvature, poor function and a lifetime of painful erections, Bennion warned, as one YouTube user can allegedly attest.
“I had one in my 20’s and didn’t know it until now at 61,” the viewer wrote in a comment below the Sept. 2 video.
“How dangerous they are! I felt a quick jolt and a bit of pain, followed by bruising all over my shaft. Luckily it healed and all is well and works with just a slight bend which I never attributed to the fracture until now!”
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Image Source : nypost.com