A meatotomy () is a form of penile modification in which the underside of the
glans is split, extending the
urinary meatus. The procedure may be performed by a doctor to alleviate
meatal stenosis
Urethral meatal stenosis is a narrowing ( stenosis) of the opening of the urethra at the external meatus , thus constricting the opening through which urine leaves the body from the urinary bladder.
Symptoms and signs
* Abnormal strength and ...
or
urethral stricture.
A meatotomy is sometimes also self-performed voluntarily for aesthetic reasons, or to open the urethra for sexual gratification as part of the practice of sounding
Procedure
A variety of techniques may be used to make the cut, but a doctor will generally crush the ventral
Urinary meatus, meatus,
urethra, and upper
frenulum for 60 seconds with a straight
Kelly hemostat
A hemostat (also called a hemostatic clamp, arterial forceps, or pean after Jules-Émile Péan) is a surgical tool used in many surgical procedures to control bleeding. For this reason, it is common in the initial phases of surgery for the initia ...
and then divide the crush line with fine-tipped scissors. Other techniques include
cauterisation
Cauterization (or cauterisation, or cautery) is a medical practice or technique of burning a part of a body to remove or close off a part of it. It destroys some tissue in an attempt to mitigate bleeding and damage, remove an undesired growth, o ...
, cutting with a scalpel (sometimes aided by clamps), or by using existing
fistulas from it to ''tie off'' the area to be cut. Most self-performed modifications tend to use a clamp and cut method. Depending on the anatomy of the individual and the extent of the split, meatotomy performed with a scalpel may involve heavy bleeding, while crush and cauterisation methods are relatively bloodless. Regardless of the procedure used, meatotomies, like other genital modifications and
genital piercings, heal quickly. Unlike other genital modifications, the glans tissue does not have a tendency to re-adhere to itself or heal closed.
A meatotomy may be extended to
subincision or genital bisection, which are both much more complex and serious modifications.
Effects
Aside from the exposure of previously internal tissues, the newly enlarged urethral opening may hinder the ability to control the direction and shape of one's urine stream. This may result in messy urination and require that the meatotomized individual sit while urinating; however, this is not universally true. The larger urethral opening may also reduce the velocity of ejaculate, thereby reducing distance of ejaculation.
Individuals who have been meatotomized for sexual gratification report that the exposed surface area of the
glans penis and access to the
spongy urethra for sounding creates heightened physical pleasure.
Repair of a meatotomy can be painful and difficult, and is similar to
hypospadias repair.
See also
*
Penile subincision
*
Body modification
Notes
;Specific
;Bibliography
*
*
* {{citation, title=Text Atlas of Penile Surgery, first=Daniel, last= Yachia, publisher=CRC Press, year= 2007, isbn=978-1-84184-517-3, pages=151–152
External links
Body Modification E-Zine encycyclopedia entry on meatotomy
Male genital modification
Human penis
Urethra disorders