A partial penectomy is surgery to remove part of the penis and takes place under general anaesthetic.
A section of skin may be taken from another area of the body such as the thigh to replace some of the tissue which has been removed. This is called a skin graft.
Partial penectomy is surgery to remove part of the penis.
A section of skin may be taken from another area of the body such as the thigh to replace some of the tissue which has been removed (skin graft).
It is very important that men and their partners discuss this surgery with their specialist health team to ensure that they know exactly what to expect with regard to the appearance of the penis afterwards.
After surgery
Painkillers will be given on a regular basis.It is important that painkillers are taken regularly as prescribed and not just when pain is felt.
The penis will have a surgical dressing covering it.This will usually be removed after 2 – 3 days.
Once it is removed men should be able to have a shower, providing that they have not had a skin graft, they should pat the area dry with a clean towel or gauze and avoid any material that may leave fibres.
If a skin graft has been used a waterproof dressing will be left in place usually for 2 weeks. Men will not need to stay in hospital for this time as care of the dressings can be managed by a community nurse.
Any stitches will be dissolvable but may take 4 – 6 weeks to fully dissolve.
Men will have a urinary catheter (urine drainage tube) which may need to remainfor up to 5 days. If men do not have a catheter in when theyare discharged from hospital it is they avoid holding the operation site on their penis when they pass urine.
It can be hard to prepare for surgery emotionally, and men can ask their specialist team about counselling or call the Orchid helpline. You could also read the personal stories of some of the men who have recovered from penile cancer surgery.
Afteren leave hospital, ythey will need at least four weeks off work.
A follow up appointment will usually be made after a few weeks. This appointment will be to check that the operation site is healing satisfactorily and to discuss the results of the operation. If any further treatment is needed, it will usually be discussed in this meeting.
Surgery to the penis is likely to cause swelling and inflammation. This may exert pressure on the urethra and cause the urinary stream to spray. It will usually settle in time and symptoms should improve as the body heals. In the meantime, there are several types of disposable urinary funnel which can be purchased. The diagram here shows how funnels can help control urination.
The following devices are available from Beambridge Medical on prescription.
Male funnel
Male funnel mini
Flexi funnel
Youth funnel
Female funnel
Whiz freedom
Shewee
Other funnels, including disposable ones, can be found online via different shopping channels but these are not available on prescription.
It is also possible to purchase a special key (RADAR Key) which allows anyone who needs to urinate more frequently to access more facilities. These can be purchased from Disability Rights
A toilet card can also be obtained which may allow you to access otherwise private amenities such as toilets in shops. Further information can be found here.
For information on dealing with the results of penile cancer treatment please visit our penile cancer support page.
To read personal stories of men who have been affected by penile cancer and find out how they have dealt with the challenges please click here
