Open AccessPenile cutaneous horn: An enigma-newer insights and perspectives
Author(s) -
Kaliaperumal Karthikeyan
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
indian journal of sexually transmitted diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1998-3816
pISSN - 0253-7184
DOI - 10.4103/0253-7184.156692
Subject(s) - french horn , medicine , penis , histopathology , basal cell , dermatology , anatomy , scalp , penile cancer , glans penis , pathology , psychology , pedagogy
Cutaneous horn refers to unusually cohesive keratinized material and not a true pathologic diagnosis. Though cutaneous horn has been described at various sites, horn over the penis is very rare and represents the most unusual site. The role of chronic irritation, phimosis, surgical trauma and radiotherapy have been implicated in penile horn formation. Penile horns present as elongated, keratinous, white or yellowish projections that range from a few millimeters to centimeters in size arising from the glans penis. Histopathology of the keratotic mass reveals nothing but keratin. The underlying mass may vary from verruca vulgaris to squamous cell carcinoma. The treatment is based on the pathology.