Q: What if someone cuts his penis and throws it away (cut part being 2.5 inches) at the age of 28, then how to stop immediate bleeding and what can be the first aid? What are the other threats in life due to this?

A:1. Generally, the remaining portion of the penile stump functions reasonably well. Since it has erectile tissue, the remnant can be put to some good use and may also help in a satisfactory intercourse. 2. The bleeding can be stopped by tight pressure on the distal part of the remaining stump. 3. Only danger to life could be due to sudden, excessive bleeding. Not a part of the question but a very important, unforgivable experience. While in residency training in Plastic Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago in 1967, we used to see a patient who was a male transsexual. He wanted us to reassign his sex. We did not know much about the problem then. So every time we used to turn him away from our OPD. He used to say that he hated his male organs. One Sunday evening, I was on call when this man was brought in the Casualty bleeding to death due to a self amputation of his penis which he had successfully carried out. Of course, we saved his life. But the incidence set us thinking. Ultimately, we looked into the surgical treatment. During my residency, I, as a part of the team, did 17 sex reassignment cases. Even today, our technique is the most commonly used method. I presented my work at the International Plastic Surgery Congress in Melbourne, Australia in 1971 and also wrote a paper which was published in British Journal of Plastic Surgery, I think in 1972 or 1973. I thought you would find this of interest.