A Remarkable Anatomical Revelation
In an astonishing revelation, a British man, who passed away at the age of 78 and generously donated his body to the University of Birmingham Medical School, was found to have lived his entire life without knowing he had three penises. This unusual case emerged during a dissection by researchers, who uncovered what they described as a “remarkable anatomical variation.”
Hidden complexity beneath normalcy
Despite appearing normal externally, the man’s genitals held two additional penises concealed within his groin. According to a paper submitted to the Journal of Medical Case Reports, “Two small supernumerary penises stacked in a sagittal orientation postero inferiorly to the primary penis. Each penile shaft displayed its own corpora cavernosa and glans penis.”
The primary and largest penis shared a single urethra with the most superficial of the supernumerary penises, while the smallest lacked a urethra-like structure. Researchers noted that the urethra initially developed in the secondary penis but diverted to the primary one when the secondary failed to develop. “The tertiary penis is a remnant of the triplicated genital tubercle,” they explained.
Potential functional implications
The researchers suggested that the man “may have lived with functional deficits due to the abnormal anatomy of the region,” potentially affecting urinary tract functions, erectile capabilities, or fertility. Genital development, which happens between four to seven weeks of gestation, involves the formation of the penis from the genital tubercle, regulated by dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Genetic anomalies affecting androgen receptors may lead to such morphological peculiarities.
Could it have gone unnoticed?
The authors pondered whether this defect was indeed unnoticed during the man’s life, stating, “If the defect had been noticed during his life it may have simply been left untouched due to the apparent lack of symptoms and its benign nature.”
This extraordinary case continues to intrigue the medical community, exemplifying the complexities and mysteries of human anatomy.