title: The surgical management of lichen sclerosus of the glans penis: our experience and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lichen sclerosus (LS) of the glans penis is a chronic, progressive, scleroatrophic inflammatory process of unknown etiology affecting the glans penis, prepuce, and urethra and may lead to severe impairment of sexual and urinary function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To report our experience of surgical management of LS of the glans penis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Complications, patients' satisfaction, cosmesis, resolution of pain and puritus, and postoperative sexual function and were recorded retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The surgical outcome of the 31 patients who have undergone resurfacing of the glans penis with the use of skin grafting for the management of genital LS in our institute is reported.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After a median follow-up of 12.8 months, 26 patients (84%) were fully satisfied with cosmetic and functional results, and 71% of them have resumed sexual activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Resurfacing of the glans penis represents a simple and reproducible technique for the management of LS and yields excellent functional and cosmetic results.
authors.affiliation: St Peter's Andrology, University College London Hospitals-Urology, London, UK. giuliogaraffa@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garaffa
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shabbir
authors.forename: Nim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Christopher
authors.forename: Suks
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minhas
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ralph
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D052798:Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010413:Penis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010688:Phimosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult