In a recent routine autopsy, a groundbreaking medical discovery was made—a 78-year-old man was found to have lived his entire life with three penises. However, due to the complex anatomy involved, it is possible that he was unaware of his extremely rare condition.
Supernumerary penile formation, also known as multiple male genitalia, is estimated to occur in only 1 in 5-6 million live births. The organs may develop within one of the penises, making it difficult to detect outwardly. Documentation of such cases is rare, with only 168 papers mentioning such anatomical features dating back to 1606. Most cases involved complete diphallia or pseudodiphallia, with triphallia being extremely rare. The first documented triphallia case in an adult occurred with the anonymous 78-year-old man.
The anatomical makeup of each penis varied in the case of the man with three penises. One penis contained a secondary organ with primary tissues, while another lacked certain structures. Genetic mutations affecting androgen receptors during development are believed to be the cause of multiple penises.
The man may have lived his life unaware of his condition, as the internal arrangement of the penises could have caused medical issues like urinary tract infections or erectile dysfunction. Limited information is available about the man due to UK medical donation laws.
Despite undergoing a groin hernia repair at one point, there are no medical notes referencing the triphallia, indicating that the surgery may have proceeded without complications. It is possible that the man lived his life without any symptoms due to the benign nature of his condition.
