Patient's question:
NoDoctor's answer:
Children with phimosis (where the foreskin cannot be retracted) and paraphimosis (where the foreskin is retracted but cannot be returned to its original position) can both cause balanitis, an inflammation of the glans penis. If the inflammation spreads upward, it may lead to urinary tract infections. Repeated episodes can cause adhesions between the foreskin and the glans, resulting in narrowing of the urethral meatus or the anterior urethra. Due to the inability to retract, the foreskin is not cleaned, allowing long-term accumulation of smegma, which may cause difficulty or prolonged duration of urination. If forcibly retracted, it can easily lead to inability to return to its original position, with the foreskin becoming trapped at the coronal sulcus of the penis, forming a constricting ring known as paraphimosis.