This case of man with 3 penises is extremely rare and unique: 'Unlike anything on record'

The case of the man with three penises (triphallia) was reportedly discovered during the post-mortem in a 78-year-old man who donated his body to science.

An 'ultra rare case of man with three penises', shared in October 2024 on Sciencealert.com, highlights the complexities and variations of human anatomy and the importance of scientific research and body donations for advancing medical knowledge. This case of triphallia (three penises) is 'unlike anything on record', as per the report.

This is reportedly only the second reported case of triphallia in scientific literature. (Representative picture: Freepik)

Details of the case

The discovery was only made post-mortem during an examination by researchers from the University of Birmingham in the UK and was documented in their 2024 scientific literature.

Per their research, the extra penile shafts were hidden underneath the man's skin near his main external sex organ. The condition was found by accident during a post-mortem examination of a 78-year-old white male who donated his body to science and 'may not have known about his congenital anomaly'.

“Externally, the genitalia appeared normal, but upon postmortem analysis, two interior and inferior penises were discovered 'concealed within the scrotal sac', above the hanging part of the scrotum and at the base of the main penile shaft,” the Sciencealert.com report said.

Interestingly, only one other case of triphallia has reportedly been reported in scientific literature, ‘and that case was obvious from the outset’, and there are about 112 reported cases of diphallia (double penis) in scientific literature between 1606 and 2023.

Per Sciencealert.com, in 2020, researchers in Iraq described the anatomy of a 3-month-old male child, who had a 2-centimetre-long (just under 0.8 inches) glans attached to the root of their main penis beneath the perineum, as well as a third glans roughly a centimetre in size just below their scrotum. Both external appendages were surgically removed.

Polyphallia 'may be more prevalent' than known

“Without any symptoms and additional medical needs, concealed internal penises may not present themselves, preventing diagnosis,” the authors of the study, led by final-year medical student John Buchanan at the University of Birmingham, shared, adding, “Hence, polyphallia may be more prevalent than currently understood.”

As per the study, at the moment, ‘polyphallia is thought to occur in one in every 5 to 6 million live births’. But internal cases can potentially remain hidden for the entire length of a person's life, resulting in unexplainable symptoms related to urination, erections, or male fertility, the researchers said.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.