title: [Concealed penis affects the morphology of the corpus cavernosum in rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the influence of concealed penis on the morphology of the corpus cavernosum in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat models of concealed penis were established by intra-pocket-suture of the root of the penis. Fifty rats were equally assigned to Groups A (2-month) and B (4-month), each further divided into a buried (n = 15) and a normal subgroup (n = 10). Changes in the morphology of the penile cavernous tissue were observed under the light microscope and transmission electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with Group A, Group B showed significant ultra-structural pathological changes in the corpus cavernosum, including abnormal arrangement of endothelial and smooth muscle cells, massive hyperplasia of interstitial tissues, narrowed cavernous sinus, atrophic smooth muscle cells, degenerated mitochondria, dilated endoplasmic reticula, decreased dense bodies and contractile fibers, and cytoplasmic vacuolization. No significant differences were found in the appearance and weight of the corpus cavernosum between the buried and normal groups (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Concealed penis does not significantly affect the appearance and weight of the corpus cavernosum, but causes ultra-structural pathological changes in it with the lengthening of time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Xiao-Bin
authors.initials: XB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ruan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010688:Phimosis / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley