Frenulum

Frenulum

A frenulum (or frenum) is a small fold of tissue that prevents an organ in the body from moving too far. There are frenula at several points of the body, including several in the mouth (frenulum linguae, f. labii superioris, f. labii inferioris of the tongue, upper and lower lips respectively), some in the digestive tract, and some connected to the external genitalia. In the female these include the frenulum clitoridis of the clitoris and the frenulum labiorum pudendi (aka. fourchette) where the labia minora meet at the back.

The word frenulum on its own is often used for the frenulum preputii penis, which is an elastic band of tissue under the glans penis that connects to the prepuce and helps contract the prepuce over the glans. It is often partially or totally removed during circumcision. When short or tight it may prevent normal retraction and inhibit normal sexual activity.

Frenum breve

The condition in which the frenum (frenulum) of the penis is short and restricts the movement of the prepuce. The frenum should be sufficiently long and supple to allow for the full retraction of the prepuce (foreskin) so that it lays smoothly back on the shaft of the erect penis.

Frenum Breve is often complicated by tearing of the frenum during sexual activity. Healing is complicated due to the moist condition of the area which restricts healing. The torn frenum results in healing with scar tissue which is less flexible after the incident causing further difficulties. The condition is treated either by a reparative plastic surgery operation called a frenoplasty, or by complete circumcision including removal of the frenum (frenectomy.)