Penile raphe
Penile Raphe
The Penile Raphe is a visible line or ridge that runs along the underside of the penis, from the meatus (opening of the urethra) to the scrotum. It is a normal part of male genital anatomy and is present from birth.
Anatomy[edit | edit source]
The penile raphe is a continuation of the perineal raphe, which extends from the anus, through the midline of the scrotum (scrotal raphe), and up the underside of the penis (penile raphe). It is formed during fetal development, as the halves of the male genitalia fuse together. The raphe does not have any specific function, but its presence is a normal part of male anatomy.
Development[edit | edit source]
The development of the penile raphe occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy. It is a result of the fusion of the urogenital folds, which are structures present in the early development of both male and female fetuses. In males, these folds fuse to form the penile raphe and the urethra, while in females, they remain unfused and form the labia minora.
Clinical Significance[edit | edit source]
While the penile raphe is a normal part of anatomy, abnormalities can occur. These can include a bifid scrotum, where the scrotal raphe is duplicated, or hypospadias, where the penile raphe does not extend to the tip of the penis and the urethral opening is located on the underside of the penis. These conditions are usually diagnosed at birth and can be corrected with surgery.
See Also[edit | edit source]
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
