Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) 2023 San Diego, CA: Safety and Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid Using the Urofill® Technique For Penile Girth Enhancement 

Dr. Alfredo Suarez-Sarmiento started the SMSNA 2023 meeting Friday Podium Sessions with a retrospective analysis regarding the pioneering use of hyaluronic acid (HA) to achieve penile girth enhancement. Safety and efficacy data stemming from Dr. Suarez-Sarmiento’s work with Dr. Paul Perito were presented.  

The data measured the use of a standardized and reproducible technique (the Urofill® Technique) to achieve girth enhancement – data that heretofore had not been presented in a urology setting. Dr. Perito refined the Urofill® technique in 2014 and has presented a growing abundance of clinical data as an honored guest presenter to both aesthetics and cosmetic disciplines, providing the technique with (up to) 10 years of outcomes.  

Dr. Suarez-Sarmiento’s conclusory bullet point asserted that the Urofill® technique should be in the hands of urologic experts for penile girth enhancement. 

Dr. Perito then committed what some may consider a slight breach of etiquette by recounting an important moment in urologic history: In 1983, Dr. Giles Brindley (a Board Certified urologist), presented his novel data regarding intracavernosal injection therapy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) at the American Urological Association’s annual convention. Having secretly injected himself just before taking the stage, urologic folklore was made when he dropped his pants and revealed his erection on stage for all to see. 

Several problems arose with how the industry adopted the urologist’s hard work as many opportunistic business entities usurped Dr. Brindley’s work and built “injection clinics” yet were incapable of handling difficult patient anatomy or complications that commonly arise.  

Many of the complications related to injection therapy for ED are life-changing and consistently leave men with permanent concerns.  Dr. Perito asked for a show of hands to reveal how many urologists have repaired “train wrecks” from these non-urologic injection clinics over the last 40 years. Dr. Perito emphasized his concerns to “not allow history to repeat itself in the field of male genital cosmetics.”  

Dr. Perito closed his remarks by reiterating that “board-certified urologists spend 10+ years honing their craft…. Board-certified urologists should rely on our long-standing scientific model of training and ongoing education.  Novices should not train experts and ALL providers should be competent enough to mend any difficult situations, if and when they occur, without consulting a ‘beautician’ or any similarly non-medically trained person[.]”  

Every patient should know that complications can occur with any treatment.  That is why a patient should choose a true Steward of the Penis Professional®.  The SMSNA is firmly committed to comprehensive research and optimal patient care.  The San Diego meeting demonstrates all urologic societies’ desire to maintain excellent outcomes in centers of excellence.  We agree!  

And thankfully, no presenter needed to drop trousers to send home Dr. Perito’s message.