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Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook: Part IV: Regional Wounds and Injuries: Chapter XXXI: Wounds and Injuries of the Genitourinary Tract

Wounds of the External Genitalia

United States Department of Defense
Peer Review Status: Internally Peer Reviewed


The management of wounds of the penis, scrotum, testes, and spermatic cord consists of control of hemorrhage, debridement (which should always be as conservative as possible), and repair, as early as possible, to prevent deformity.

In injuries of the penis, tears of Buck's fascia should be sutured. When denudation has been extensive, the penis may be placed in a scrotal tunnel until plastic repair can be carried out in an appropriately equipped facility.

The scrotum has a good blood supply, and extensive debridement is therefore not necessary. In complete avulsion, the testes can be placed in protective pockets in the thighs.

It is essential, when dealing with testicular wounds, to conserve as much tissue as possible. Herniated parenchymal tissues should be replaced and the tunica albuginea closed by mattress sutures. The testicle is placed in the scrotum or in a protective pocket in some adjacent structure. A testicle should never be resected unless it is hopelessly damaged and its blood supply destroyed.

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