Aphallia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aphallia is a congenital malformity in which the phallus (penis or clitoris) is absent.[1] The word is derived from the Greek "a" for negative or no, and "phallia" for penis.
[edit] Incidence/prevalence
It is a rare condition, with only approximately 60 cases reported as of 1989,[2] and 75 cases as of 2005.[3]
[edit] Causes
Aphallia is a rare birth defect of unknown cause. It is not linked to deficient hormone amounts or action, but rather to a failure of the fetal genital tubercle to form between 3 and 6 weeks after conception. The urethra of an affected child opens on the perineum.
[edit] Prognosis and treatment
Although aphallia can occur in both males and females, it is considered a substantially more troublesome problem in a male, and has in the past sometimes been considered justification for assigning and rearing a genetically male infant as a girl.
Recent advances in surgical phalloplasty techniques have provided additional options.[4][5]
[edit] References
