Penile reconstruction is a staged surgery to rebuild the penis after trauma, cancer, or congenital loss. “Symptoms” are really the post-op changes and warning signs patients need to watch for while healing.

Swelling and bruising peak early. The new shaft looks puffy and purple for 1–2 weeks, then slowly softens.

Pain is steady but fades. A deep ache and tightness last several days; spikes may signal a hematoma or infection.

Skin color shifts. Grafts or flaps can look pale, dusky, or mottled—color should pink up within hours; if it turns black, call the surgeon.

Numbness is normal at first. Pins-and-needles return over months as nerves regrow; sudden loss after initial feeling may mean vessel kinking.

Leakage from the new urethra shows up as a small drip or spray. A fistula looks like an extra wet spot on dressings; a stricture causes a thin or split stream.

Late redness, warmth, or pus around sutures signals infection. Fever with flank pain can mean the kidney is backing up.