A recent “self-castration” incident shocked Tainan!
A man in his fifties, for unknown reasons, suddenly used scissors to completely sever his own penis. Then, like peeling a banana, he tore off the foreskin and threw it on the ground. Upon seeing this, his family was terrified and quickly picked up the severed organ and the remaining skin, rushing him to the emergency room for urgent treatment.
With the skilled hands of the doctors, it took more than four hours of meticulous surgery using a microscope to reattach the severed member. The foreskin, which had been removed, was also sewn back using a technique similar to skin grafting. Currently, the patient’s urination is recovering well.
Dr. Hsu Han-Ping, chief surgeon at the Plastic Surgery and Medical Aesthetics Center of Chi Mei Hospital in Taiwan, recounted the events of that day. The man was first taken to the emergency room for treatment, then consulted with urology and plastic surgery specialists to assess whether reattachment was feasible.
He explained that the patient’s penis was completely severed about one-third from the base with scissors, and then the foreskin was peeled off, causing profuse bleeding at the site of the genital wound. However, because the cut surface of the penis was relatively intact, it was deemed feasible for reattachment after assessment.
Dr. Hsu Han-Ping admitted that in the past, experiences with severed limbs mostly involved industrial accidents, such as fingers being cut off. “Complete penis severance is indeed rare, and most doctors have never encountered it.”
The principles of managing severed penises are similar to those for fingers, focusing on minimizing tissue ischemia time. Surgery must be performed urgently to minimize tissue damage.
The surgery for this patient took more than four hours, gradually reattaching the urethra, arteries, veins, corpora cavernosa, and nerve structures through microsurgery. Even the foreskin that was removed was sewn back using a technique similar to skin grafting.
Regarding the patient’s recovery after surgery, Dr. Hsu Han-Ping explained that the main goal of the reattachment was to restore urinary function at least. Otherwise, the original severed end would not be able to urinate smoothly and would not be properly controlled. After a period of follow-up, the patient’s urination has returned to normal.
Unfortunately, because the erectile function involves the growth of penile nerves, even if reattached, it will take a long time to gradually recover. Moreover, the patient’s difficulty in continuing to seek medical attention due to other conditions hampers observation and consultation regarding this function.
“The surgical reattachment of a completely severed penis is the first time for me,” Dr. Hsu Han-Ping said. Although there are many related reconstructions for penile deformities, urethral underdevelopment, and soft tissue defects caused by tumors or infections in clinical practice, reattaching a completely severed penis is a first for him.
In the event of a similar tragic incident, Dr. Hsu Han-Ping reminds that the severed part or limb should immediately be wrapped with gauze and pressure applied, which can mostly stop bleeding and prevent shock. Therefore, do not panic. Subsequently, the severed part should be picked up, wrapped in clean gauze, placed in a plastic bag sealed waterproof, then put into a container with ice and water to prevent tissue necrosis, and sent to a larger plastic surgery hospital for treatment, which would provide more opportunities to save the severed limb.
Dr. Hsu Han-Ping emphasizes the importance of remaining calm during accidents. Effective first aid measures will help reduce damage and increase the success rate of treatment.