Inability to retract the prepuce to reveal the glans penis is called?

Appeared in: Daman & Diu Staff Nurse - 2018

Explanation

Phimosis is the precise medical term for the inability to retract the foreskin over the glans penis.
This condition can be physiologic, which is normal at birth and typically resolves on its own by 3 years of age in 80% of uncircumcised males.
It can also be pathologic, resulting from scarring due to infection, inflammation, or forceful retraction attempts.
Management for physiologic phimosis involves gentle hygiene, while pathologic phimosis may require topical corticosteroids or circumcision.

Option B: Hypospadias refers to the location of the urethral opening, not the retractability of the foreskin. The opening is on the ventral (underside) of the penis.
Option C: Epispadias also refers to the location of the urethral opening, but in this case, it is on the dorsal (top) surface of the penis.
Option D: Cryptorchidism is unrelated to the penis or foreskin. It describes the condition where one or both testes have not descended into the scrotum.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Anomalies of the male genitourinary system as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a key role in educating parents of uncircumcised male infants about normal development and proper hygiene, advising them not to forcefully retract the foreskin to prevent injury and scarring.
It is crucial to differentiate phimosis from paraphimosis. Paraphimosis is a urologic emergency where the retracted foreskin cannot be returned to its normal position, causing swelling and potentially cutting off blood flow to the glans.
What if? If a patient presents with a retracted foreskin that is swollen and cannot be reduced, the nurse must recognize this as paraphimosis and ensure immediate medical intervention to prevent tissue necrosis.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of medical terminology.
First, break down the question stem to identify the core definition: 'inability to retract the prepuce (foreskin)'.
Next, systematically review each option and match it to its known medical definition.
Phimosis directly corresponds to the inability to retract the foreskin.
Hypospadias and Epispadias relate to the position of the urethral opening, which is not mentioned in the stem.
Cryptorchidism relates to the testes, not the penis. Therefore, Phimosis is the only correct match.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 2 p. 1100-1102

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