Incision and grafting LUe Procedure

What to expect following surgery

You have undergone surgery to correct your penile curvature. You have a stitched wound around the top of the penis just under the head (glans). You will also be able to feel some larger stitches and the grafted patch under the skin on the shaft of the penis. You will be able to go home the day after surgery once you have seen a member of the surgical team.

Dressings: In most cases the operative dressing will be left in place for one week, and you must avoid showers until it’s removed in clinic. Occasionally the dressing is removed prior to discharge and in this case, we would recommend you support the penis against the abdomen for a week.

Washing: If you go home without a dressing, you may take a quick shower daily which will keep the wound clean, but you must avoid soaking in a bath for 2 weeks. Do not use soap directly on the wound until it is fully healed. After showering pat the wounds gently to dry.

Please do not touch your wound unless you have washed your hands thoroughly to reduce the risk of infection.

Stitches: The stitches underneath the head of your penis are dissolvable and do not need to be removed. It is normal for them to take several weeks to dissolve. The large internal stitches under the skin on the shaft of the penis will take several months to dissolve. Again, this is normal.

Returning to work: Every patient reacts differently to anaesthetic and there is no definite rule as to when you should return to work. Most people take a week off work but the type of work you do will also influence your decision.

You may experience:

Swelling: You can expect some swelling to the penis. We would expect this to resolve over a few weeks. Wearing the penis against the abdomen in supportive underwear will also help to reduce swelling.

Bleeding: It is normal for there to be slight ooze of blood or yellow coloured fluid onto the pad however if bleeding persists, use a clean cloth or gauze and press firmly on the bleeding area for 15 minutes. If it does not stop after this time, please attend your local A&E department.

Erections: It is perfectly safe to have erections after this surgery. You may be uncomfortable for the first few weeks following the operation.

Follow up appointment: Is usually 1-2 weeks following surgery. If you do not receive a date to attend clinic within one week, please contact your consultant’s pathway co- ordinator using the telephone numbers overleaf.

Aftercare: You will often be prescribed a PDE5 inhibitor such as ‘Sildenafil’ to start 7-14 days after surgery to encourage night-time erections. In addition, you will be encouraged to start manually stretching your penis. When you attend your doctor will provide you with details on how to do this and when you should start at your follow up appointment. You must not have sex for six weeks following surgery.

If you experience any of the following, please contact the Clinical Nurse Practitioner or your medical team via the numbers below. Out of hours, please contact your GP or nearest A&E Department.

• Persistent bleeding
• Pain which is not controlled by the prescribed pain killers
• A fever of 100 (38 C) or higher
• Redness and or discharge from the wound