Penis & scrotum
Inflammatory
Tancho nodules / paraffinomas / lipogranulomas
Authors: Alcides Chaux, M.D., Antonio L. Cubilla, M.D.
Last author update: 1 February 2010
Last staff update: 21 August 2020
Copyright: 2002-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Tancho nodules
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Clinical features | Case reports | Treatment | Clinical images | Microscopic (histologic) descriptionCite this page: Chaux A, Cubilla AL. Tancho nodules / paraffinomas / lipogranulomas. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/penscrotumtancho.html. Accessed September 27th, 2023.
Definition / general
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Tancho nodules:
- Custom among some Asian populations to implant, inject or insert paraffin or other foreign material (such as glass spheres) under the skin of the penis to improve sexual pleasure
- Tancho is a brand of hair pomade widely used in the Far East and Southeast Asia
- Custom among some Asian populations to enlarge penis by injecting mineral oil, paraffin (paraffinoma), silicone or vaseline (Urology 2008;71:1132)
- Inflammatory / foreign body reaction may occur years after the injection
Lipogranuloma:
Clinical features
- Associated with genital tattoo
- May cause fistulas or ulcers (J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2008;22:845)
- May be important to recognize for forensic cases (Med Sci Law 2006;46:349)
Tancho nodules:
- Palpable subcutaneous firm nodules
Lipogranuloma:
- Distortion of organ with evident gross abnormalities
- May extend to adjacent structures such as scrotum
Case reports
- 71 year old man with paraffinoma almost 40 years after injections (Int Urol Nephrol 2007;39:553)
Treatment
- May require local surgical resection
Clinical images
Images hosted on other servers:
Intraurethral paraffin
Microscopic (histologic) description
Tancho nodules:
Lipogranuloma:
- Inflammatory foreign body reaction with variable fibrosis surrounding inserted material
Lipogranuloma:
- Numerous vacuoles ranging from tiny to large and cystically dilated (pseudocysts)
- Stroma may be sclerotic (sclerosing lipogranuloma) and contain inflammatory cells and foreign body giant cells
