Medical Terminology for Retracted Penis When Standing
The medical term for a penis that retracts or becomes hidden when standing is "buried penis" (also called "concealed penis" or "hidden penis"). 1, 2, 3
Terminology and Classification
The condition where a normal-sized penis becomes obscured by surrounding tissue has several related terms that are often used interchangeably, though recent literature attempts to distinguish them:
- Buried penis: The penis is concealed by suprapubic fat without fibrous tethering or scarring 3
- Concealed penis: An umbrella term encompassing various forms where the penis appears smaller than expected due to surrounding anatomical structures 4, 5
- Hidden penis: Another general term used synonymously with buried and concealed penis 2, 3
The key distinction is that in buried/concealed penis, the actual penile length is normal—the shaft is simply hidden beneath abdominal or suprapubic skin and fat. 1, 2
Clinical Context
Adult-Acquired Forms
In adults, buried penis most commonly occurs as an acquired condition related to:
- Morbid obesity: The penile shaft invaginates into pre-pubic fat masses, particularly noticeable when standing 1, 2
- Post-bariatric patients: Abundant pre-pubic skin tissue forms an apron covering the genitals 1
- Body mass index correlation: Patients with more severe concealment tend to have higher BMI (mean 37-40 kg/m²) 3
Pediatric Forms
In children, concealed penis includes several anatomical variants:
- Buried penis: Phallus of normal size buried in prepubic tissue 5
- Webbed penis: Penis enclosed in scrotal tissue 4, 5
- Trapped penis: Penis trapped by scar tissue after penile surgery (iatrogenic, often post-circumcision) 3, 4, 5
Clinical Presentation Differences
When evaluating position-dependent retraction (standing versus supine), this strongly suggests buried penis related to gravitational effects on suprapubic adipose tissue. 2
- Examination should be performed both standing and supine with digital compression of surrounding skin and fat to demonstrate the actual penile length 2
- The retraction when standing is more pronounced in obese patients due to the weight of the pannus pulling tissue downward 1, 2
Important Clinical Distinction
This condition differs fundamentally from micropenis, where the actual penile length is pathologically small (>2.5 SD below mean for age). 4 In buried/concealed penis, stretched penile length is normal when the surrounding tissue is retracted 4, 5