The inner prepuce flap for penile scald burns

• Published in: Journal of burn care & research 2014-07, Vol.35 (4), p.e250-e257
• Main Authors: Fuller, Sam M, Roughton, Michelle C, Gottlieb, Lawrence J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Burns - surgery; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Male; Penis - injuries; Penis - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Flaps
• ISSN: 1559-047X; 1559-0488
• DOI: 10.1097/BCR.0000000000000055

Preputial skin has similar color, texture, and composition to the skin of the penile shaft. The inner preputial skin may be transferred as a flap based upon Dartos fascia to resurface full-thickness burns of the penile shaft, providing a gliding and stretchable surface cover unique to the penis. The advantages of using the inner prepuce skin to resurface full-thickness burns of the penile shaft will be elucidated and the technique will be described. A retrospective chart review was performed of three patients whose penile shaft was resurfaced with inner prepuce flaps after tangential excision of their full-thickness scald burns. Patient 1 was a 9-year-old boy who sustained an 8% TBSA scald burn resulting in a full-thickness burn to the dorsum of his penis. Patient 2 was a 3-year-old boy who sustained a 60% TBSA immersion scald burn as a victim of child abuse, resulting in a circumferential penile burn. Patient 3 was an 8- year-old boy who sustained a 3% TBSA grease burn to the dorsum of his penis. The inner surface of the prepuce of the patients was intact. They were treated with an inner preputial flap. Full-thickness scald burns to the penis are unusual and challenging for the patient, family, and burn surgeon. It is advantageous that inner preputial skin is commonly spared. This specialized thin skin is ideal for resurfacing the penile shaft and should be used when available.