TissueDB/Tissues/Penis

▼This page is a tissue entry for the SELF Tissue Database.It documents the structures, recommended materials, and related simulators associated with this tissue to support low-cost, reproducible surgical simulator development.

The penis is the external male genital organ. It houses the penile (anterior) urethra, the conduit for urination and ejaculation. Its anatomical course curves from the perineal external urethral sphincter through the bulbous urethra. It then runs along the corpus spongiosum to the external urethral meatus at the glans. An accurate penile simulation supports training in urinary catheterization. The operator must guide a Foley catheter through approximately 17 to 20 cm of urethral length. The operator must negotiate the natural bulbomembranous angulation. The external urethral sphincter also gives a modest resistance that the operator must recognize before entering the bladder. Tissue-simulating materials for the penis must reproduce skin elasticity, manipulability, and the deformability required for the catheter pass-through. They must not compromise urethral lumen patency. Simulators that omit penile compliance risk training learners who under-appreciate the soft-tissue handling required during clinical catheterization.