What Causes Sensitivity At Incision Site Post Surgery?

Posted on Mon, 23 Jan 2017

Question: I had a degloving surgery for a fractured penis and concurrent tear in my urethra. It has been 6 months and the skin is still very sensitive around the site of the incision from the surgery (and below it). What should I do about this? It is especially sensitive after friction from sex. The urologist who performed the surgery is not quite sure, it could be nerves? How can I help the issue, it has caused me serious anxiety/depression. Please help!

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Sensitivity at the site of incision is common and gets resolved gradually.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for your query,

I have gone through our previous thread of discussion on your problem .

Under normal circumstances a surgery for degloving for fracture of penis needs to deglove the skin ,superficial fascia and Bucks fascia from the Tunica Albugenia a sheath that envelopes two corporeal bodies of erectile tissue of penis (Corpora Cavernosa) to be repaired .During degloving there is every possibility of trivial injury to the nerves and blood vessels causing transient neuropraxia .

Recovery of this neuropraxia is a very slow process and takes 6 months to one year This process of nerve repair is a staged process and it is the second stage of hyperathesia that gives rise to hypersensitivity of the skin at the site of surgery .It being a very slow process it is very difficult to predict precise time for recovery which varies from person to person .

You can use steroid ointment for local application twice daily This will help to reduce the hypersensitivity.

I do understand your anxiety ,But you need to have patience and try to allay your anxiety .

Hope I have answered your query ,please feel free to ask if you have more questions ,I shall be happy to help you
Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (38 minutes later)

Thanks for taking a look at the previous questions. The thrombosed vein did resolve itself (about 5 months later). I'm really worried that the pain from the skin/nerve damage won't go away. Have you seen this happen to anyone that you've performed this surgery on? Is it possible that it may never get better? Thanks!

Answered by Dr. Dr. P. T. Patil (29 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
It is bound to get resolved

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for follow up .

I have seen the similar issues that you are facing in almost all the patients that I have operated and all of them have resolved spontaneously over a period of time.

What one needs is a patience and self confidence.Recovery of nerve being a very slow process you just can't fasten the recovery.

Thanks and Regards.
Dr.Patil.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar