What is Frenuloplasty?

A frenuloplasty is a surgical procedure that adjusts the frenulum to allow for unrestricted movement of the organ or muscle affected. The frenulum is a small piece of tissue found in the mouth, on the genitalia, and in the digestive tract. Frenulum tissue is designed to secure the mobility of the organ or muscle involved. When the frenulum is too small, it causes the movement to be restricted. Frenuloplasty can help clear up childhood speech problems, infant feeding difficulties, and relieve the pain of intercourse that some men experience.

The oral frenulums are connected under the tongue, between the upper and lower lips, and between the cheeks and the gums. The lingual frenulum can cause speech difficulties when it is too short, and it may interfere with the ability of a baby to suckle, causing nutritional deficits if left untreated. Frenuloplasty allows the tongue freedom of movement, allowing for easy suckling and eliminating speech problems later in childhood.

Newborn infants born with a tight lingual frenulum, called ankyloglossia, usually undergo a frenuloplasty within the first few days of life. Most infants under the age of four months do not require anesthesia prior to the procedure. During the operation, the tongue is lifted to expose the frenulum. Small scissors are used to clip a bit of the frenulum, and sutures are generally not necessary. The baby is returned to the mother and is able to suckle immediately.

Many men undergo a frenuloplasty when intercourse becomes painful due to the restricted movement of the foreskin. The frenulum tissue connects the foreskin to the vernal mucosa and aids in the retraction of the foreskin when the penis is erect. A frenuloplasty can correct this abnormal restriction of the foreskin while preventing the need for a circumcision.

The penile frenuloplasty is performed on an outpatient basis. The patient will be put under anesthesia before the procedure begins. The frenulum is carefully altered to enable enough movement for the comfortable retraction of the foreskin. The incision is small and is sewn together with absorbable sutures. Complications of the operation are not common, though there is a risk of excessive bleeding from the incision site.

Recovery from the penile frenuloplasty takes about six weeks. Regular activities can begin about three weeks after the procedure. The incision site will need to be washed carefully daily, and a small amount of moisturizing cream may be applied to the penis to help avoid the formation of thick scar tissue.