Case report of penile corporal Fournier's gangrene

Abstract

Fournier's gangrene is a severe necrotising infection of the perineum. It is believed that the thick penile fascia restricts the penetration of infection and spares the internal structures. We present an unusual case of a 59-year-old apparently healthy man presenting with penile corporal Fournier's gangrene with no known predisposing or precipitating factors. His initial presentation was peno-scrotal pain, swelling and priapism with normal-looking skin surrounding his genitals. After the imaging studies, he was discovered with gas in his genital tissues which was leading to the priapism. Upon debridement his corporal muscle was found to be necrosed and he ended up having a penectomy. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis. The patient, however, made a good recovery and was referred to the plastic surgeons for functional reconstructive surgery.