Diagnostic dilemma: A man's penis was turning to bone

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A man in his 60s went to the emergency room after a fall and ended up being diagnosed with a rare disorder of the penis.

An X-ray of a man's pelvis showing the faint outline of a bone inside his penis
X-rays revealed "extensive, plaque-like calcification" along the length of a man's penis. (Image credit: Georges El Hasbani, et al./Urology Case Reports, CC BY NC-ND 4.0)

The symptoms: The patient had knee pain after falling on his buttocks, causing him to seek treatment in the emergency room. During an examination, the man also described pain in his penis.

What happened next: When doctors investigated the potential cause of this pain, they did not find any prostate swelling or see any unusual discharge. They performed pelvic X-rays to look for any fractures. Instead, they discovered bone growth in an unexpected place: the man's penis.

The treatment: The patient declined further examination and treatment, according to the physicians' report. Pain from penile ossification is typically managed with topical medicines, injections or oral painkillers. The underlying calcification can be addressed with shock-wave therapy, which uses sonic pulses, or essentially sound waves, to break down bony buildup.

What makes the case unique: Fewer than 40 cases of penile ossification have been documented in the scientific literature. Although the condition is rare, when it does occur, it's often been linked to Peyronie's disease.

This disorder can affect anyone with a penis, although it is most common among those ages 40 to 70. Peyronie's disease inflames connective tissue in the penis, eventually causing a buildup of scar tissue. This may cause erectile dysfunction or lead to painful erections, and depending on where the scar tissue forms, the penis can display a dramatic curve or appear shorter than usual when erect. In some cases, the penis may even develop an hourglass-like shape.

The doctors suspected that Peyronie's disease contributed to the man's condition in this case, but there are other factors that may have led to peculiar bone growth in his penis, such as late-stage kidney disease, metabolic abnormalities, repeated trauma to the penis or chronic inflammation. But because the patient left the hospital against medical advice, no laboratory work was performed. He also didn't arrange any follow-up visits to address his condition, so the trigger for the ossification remains unknown.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to offer medical advice.

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Mindy Weisberger
Mindy Weisberger
Live Science Contributor

Mindy Weisberger is a science journalist and author of "Rise of the Zombie Bugs: The Surprising Science of Parasitic Mind-Control" (Hopkins Press). She formerly edited for Scholastic and was a channel editor and senior writer for Live Science. She has reported on general science, covering climate change, paleontology, biology and space. Mindy studied film at Columbia University; prior to LS, she produced, wrote and directed media for the American Museum of Natural History in NYC. Her videos about dinosaurs, astrophysics, biodiversity and evolution appear in museums and science centers worldwide, earning awards such as the CINE Golden Eagle and the Communicator Award of Excellence. Her writing has also appeared in Scientific American, The Washington Post, How It Works Magazine and CNN.