Balanitis and Balanoposthitis - Review article

Balanitis is defined as inflammation of the glans penis, which often involves the prepuce (Balanoposthitis). In the present scenario, where there is a decline in the tropical Sexually Transmitted Diseases ( STD’s), balanoposthitis is the common condition in uncircumcised male patients attending the STD clinic. Candidal balanoposthitis is a known feature of diabetes mellitus especially in Indian males who are predominantly uncircumcised as the crude prevalence rate of type II diabetes mellitus in India is 9%. In our hospital, 31% of the newly diagnosed diabetic patients were presented only with balanoposthitis. The common etiology for balanoposthitis is candida albicans, but it may be due to a variety of infective and non infective causes. The management of balanoposthitis is given in a simple and step by step approach for specific and non specific causes.