Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans

Balanitis xerotica obliterans – a review

“…Topical corticosteroid therapy is useful in the early phase and lessens the initial symptoms and slows the progression of the disease process. A partial resolution of the clinical picture has been observed over periods of up to 3 years [6]. This type of local treatment is not uniformly eective.…”

“…These authors consider that BXO is the male genital form of LSEA. This view is held by many even today [6]. At present, the evidence is inconclusive regarding whether BXO is a localized form of LSEA, which occurs on the upper trunk, clavicular and scapular regions, neck, axillae, and forearms as¯at-topped irregular white or yellowishwhite papules.…”

“…The lesions may present in 3 forms: (1) typical ivory-white macules; (2) con¯uent plaques or hemorrhagic bullae on the glans following sexual intercourse; and (3) meatal and perimeatal lesions combined with diculty in voiding. Even though BXO is a chronic and progressive disease, it sometimes takes a cyclical course with periods of remission in which the genital skin becomes less atrophic and the phimosis and meatal stenosis become less severe, with reduction in subjective symptoms [6].…”

“…A combination of white plaque and normal red tissue may give a mosaic appearance to the lesion. Sometimes telangiectasia and hemorrhagic petechiae have also been reported [6]. The pathognomonic feature of BXO includes a perimeatal whitish and erythematous area.…”

“…It can also occur before the onset of penile cancer [16]. Even though chronic in¯ammation and phimosis are established etiological factors for carcinoma of the penis, their etiological role in BXO has not been settled so far [6].…”