Congenital Anomalies of the External Male Genitalia

Abstract

The chapter is aimed at describing the main congenital disorders of the external male genitalia (penis, scrotum, and testis) in order to enable the reader to promptly recognize such malformations in the newborn. The latter is fundamental when formulating potential surgical planning which is almost never carried out in the neonatal period. The fact of first recognizing and then planning the correction will surely allay parental anxiety. Description of the corrective surgical techniques goes beyond the purposes of this chapter. We will therefore tackle the anatomic description, etiology, initial evaluation, and timing of treatment of these anomalies. As for all congenital anomalies, a quite basic knowledge of the embryologic development of the male genitalia is necessary in identifying and understanding their etiology.