Medical students at the University of Birmingham in the UK came across an unusual case while analysing a cadaver donated for scientific purposes: a man with three penises. This rare anomaly, known as triphallia, has only been reported once before worldwide, leaving the students shocked.
An extremely rare condition
Triphallia is an extremely rare deformity. According to the report issued by the students and published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports, the man was around 78 years old at death. Of the three penises, only one was functional, while the other two were attached within the skin of the scrotal sacrum. One of them lacked a urethra, which could have prevented its detection in life.
Possible clinical implications
The study suggests that the man may have suffered from functional deficits such as urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction and possible fertility problems due to his condition. Although the patient’s detailed medical history is not known, this type of abnormality could have affected his health throughout his life.
The second case of triphallia in the world
This case is only the second documented in the world, after that of a baby from Iraq in 2021. Despite the rarity of diphallia, which occurs in about one in six million male births, triphallia is even more exceptional. The study details the anatomical features and clinical implications of this condition, suggesting that its frequency may be higher than previously thought.
