A condition in which the prepuce, after being retracted behind the glans penis, is constricted there, and can not be brought forward into place again.

A condition in which the foreskin, having been retracted behind the glans (often with some difficulty) is too tight to return to covering the glans. The trapped foreskin causes the glans to swell more and a viscious circle sets in. It is imperative that the swelling of the glans be reduced immediately and the foreskin replaced otherwise surgical intervention will be necessary to prevent loss of the glans. Once a paraphimosis has occured it is almost certain to recurr and this should be prevented by circumcision as soon as the swellings from the paraphimosis have resolved completely.

A condition in which the foreskin of the penis, once retracted, cannot return to its original location. The foreskin remains trapped behind the groove of the coronal sulcus between the shaft and the glans. This causes blood to pool in the veins behind the entrapment, leading to swelling and severe pain. The foreskin, with lubrication, can sometimes be reduced. This works only if the paraphimosis is discovered early, and requires a short-acting general anesthetic or heavy sedation. Circumcision can both prevent and cure paraphimosis.

a urologic emergency