title: [Sarcolemma tissue of prepubertal concealed penis: pathological characterization and clinical implication].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the histopathological characteristics and clinical implication of sarcolemma tissue in prepubertal concealed penis.
  
  
  METHODS
  After measurement of the penile length, 10 prepubertal children with congenital concealed penis underwent modified Devine's operation (treatment group), and another 10 normal prepubertal children received circumcision (control group). The anatomic features of the penile sarcolemma tissue was observed intraoperatively, and its fibrosis was evaluated by Masson trichrome staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The penile length of the treatment group was significantly shorter than that of the control group preoperatively ([1.49 +/- 0.17 ] cm vs [4.26 +/- 0.23 ] cm, P < 0.01). The degree of penile concealment was correlated with the distal point of the attachment of its sarcolemma fibrous tissue: the closer the distal attachment point was to the coronary ditch, the more serious was penile concealment. The proportion of the area of collagen fibers in the penile sarcolemma tissue was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control ([65.6 +/- 6.9]% vs [37.1 +/- 4.7]%, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sarcolemma fibrosis was obvious in congenital concealed penis, and the key to its management is drastic removal of all the fibrous sarcolemma tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hubei Women and Children Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xing-Hai
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002944:Circumcision, Male; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010688:Phimosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012508:Sarcolemma / Q000473:pathology*