Erosive balanitis - Anogenital in
Alerts and Notices
Important News & Links
Synopsis

Erosive balanitis is inflammation of the glans penis, associated with erosions, which may be few in number or involve large areas of the glans. The etiology may be varied. It may be secondary to neglected balanitis of unknown etiology, or secondary to trauma, chronic urinary incontinence, damage by chemical agents, infections such as herpes (particularly in the immunosuppressed), gonorrhea, syphilis or other STDs.
Uncontrolled diabetes, as well as inflammatory diseases such as lichen planus, psoriasis, contact dermatitis or a fixed drug eruption, frequently precipitates a secondary candidal infection.
The condition may be seen at any age. It seems more frequent in low socioeconomic patients.
The patient presents with a red, irritated glans penis, usually with red erosions of various sizes and number, which are moist and tender. Before the erosions appear, there usually is redness and irritation of the glans. Generally, systemic symptoms are absent unless the condition is caused by an infection such as syphilis.
Uncontrolled diabetes, as well as inflammatory diseases such as lichen planus, psoriasis, contact dermatitis or a fixed drug eruption, frequently precipitates a secondary candidal infection.
The condition may be seen at any age. It seems more frequent in low socioeconomic patients.
The patient presents with a red, irritated glans penis, usually with red erosions of various sizes and number, which are moist and tender. Before the erosions appear, there usually is redness and irritation of the glans. Generally, systemic symptoms are absent unless the condition is caused by an infection such as syphilis.
Codes
ICD10CM:
N48.1 – Balanitis
SNOMEDCT:
255483000 – Erosive balanitis
N48.1 – Balanitis
SNOMEDCT:
255483000 – Erosive balanitis
Look For
Subscription Required
Diagnostic Pearls
Subscription Required
Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
Trauma:
Inflammatory conditions:
- Lesions caused by trauma may have geometrical or jagged borders.
- Contact dermatitis
- Chronic urinary incontinence with catheter trauma
Inflammatory conditions:
- Lichen planus
- Psoriasis
- Destructive pyoderma gangrenosum
- Behçet's disease
- Reactive arthritis (Reiter syndrome)
- Zoon's plasma cell balanitis
- Overuse of local steroids
- Fixed drug eruption
- Foscarnet reaction
Best Tests
Subscription Required
Management Pearls
Subscription Required
Therapy
Subscription Required
Drug Reaction Data
Below is a list of drugs with literature evidence indicating an adverse association with this diagnosis. The list is continually updated through ongoing research and new medication approvals. Click on Citations to sort by number of citations or click on Medication to sort the medications alphabetically.
Subscription Required
References
Subscription Required
Last Updated:01/18/2015