What is a frenuloplasty and why would you need one? 

A frenuloplasty is a surgical procedure to treat a short penile frenulum by dividing the skin and restitching it lengthways. The frenulum is a band of tissue on the underside of the head of the penis. If it is tight, it can cause pain during erection or intercourse, and it may tear, causing bleeding and discomfort. This is relatively common and is a straight forward procedure.

On the day of the procedure your consultant will discuss the surgery with you to make sure you fully understand the risks and potential benefits as well as what the procedure involves. A frenuloplasty is done either under general anaesthetic (you are asleep) or local (you are awake but the area is completely numb). During the procedure the skin (frenulum) is divided at the top and pulling downwards (like a diamond) and the sides are stitched together at the centre giving a longer frenulum. The stitches are dissolvable so usually disappear within two or three weeks.

As with all surgical procedures there are risks associated with a frenuloplasty. These include:

• Swelling of the penis which may last a couple of days
• Reduced sensation in the glans penis (the head of the penis) – this affects between 1 in 10 and 1 in 50 patients
• Bleeding from the incision
• Failure to resolve the symptoms which may mean a circumcision is needed
• Infection

After the procedure you will have some swelling and bruising of the penis which may last a few days. Any pain and discomfort should be able to be managed by painkillers such as paracetamol. There shouldn’t be any pain when passing urine after the procedure but it is important to keep the wound clean and dry after passing urine. It is suggested that you should wear loose fitting clothing for the first couple of days post-surgery. Sexual activity should be avoided or us to four weeks but this should be discussed with your consultant.

Contact our expert team at the Urology Clinics Manchester Penile Clinic now to discuss frenuloplasty further.