MEDICAL students in the UK were left stunned after discovering a "remarkable anatomical variation" while examining a body that had been donated to the University of Birmingham Medical School.
As it turns out, a British man had lived to the ripe old age of 78 without ever realising he had three penises - a condition called 'triphalia', which the medics described as "a rare congenital anomaly describing the presence of three distinct penile shafts".
It is understandable that the man never realised he was a medical phenomenon, as his genitals appeared normal from the outside, while the additional two small penises were "stacked" inside his scrotum.
While the researchers hailed the finding as a "serendipitous discovery" in the Journal of Medical Case Reports, they noted the man likely experienced a slew of problems, ranging from urinary tract infections, to erectile dysfunction and fertility issues.
Being born with two penises is rare enough, researchers pointed out, but the presence of three has only ever been reported once before.
However, it is believed that polyphallia (having more than one penis) could be more common than we realise, given that concealed internal penises may not present themselves.
If they form externally, the extra appendages - which are typically non-functional and smaller - are often removed.
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