"Lived with Three Penises"... The Secret Revealed Only After Death

78-Year-Old British Man's Secret Revealed Through Body Donation
Second Known Case Born with Three Penises

A case of triphallia, born with three penises, has been reported in the United Kingdom. This is the second case worldwide.

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On the 18th, British media outlets including The Independent reported that medical students at the University of Birmingham discovered a male cadaver with three penises during an anatomy class. The man was a white male approximately 182 cm tall who died at the age of 78. His penis appeared normal externally. However, after his death, University of Birmingham medical students who received the body donation dissected the genitalia and found two additional small penises inside the scrotum.

The researchers estimated that the man was likely unaware of this abnormality during his lifetime. They explained that only one of the three penises was functional, while the other two were attached under the skin of the scrotum where the testicles are located. The researchers further speculated that the additional penises lacked corpora cavernosa or urethras, which likely caused issues such as urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction, and reduced reproductive capability.

Triphallia, having three penises, is a type of congenital malformation known as supernumerary penis (duplicated penis). Supernumerary penis refers to being born with two or more penises. According to research, the probability of being born with one or more penises is about 1 in 5 to 6 million worldwide, and there are currently about 100 documented cases of individuals with two penises globally. However, triphallia with three penises, like this case, is extremely rare. Prior to this case, there was a report in 2021 of a child born in Iraq with three penises. In that case, in addition to the existing penis, there was a 2 cm penis at the base of the penis and a 1 cm penis below the scrotum. Of the child's three penises, two had corpora cavernosa like a normal penis but lacked urethras, so they did not function normally.

The exact cause of supernumerary penis remains unclear. So far, it is known to occur accidentally due to genetic mutations or other reasons during the development of the genitalia in the mother's womb. In most cases of supernumerary penis, surgical removal of the additional penises is performed.