During penile examination, what should you do if urethral symptoms are present?

• A. Strip or milk the ventral penis from base to glans to collect a drop
• B. Palpate the scrotum first
• C. Inspect the dorsum of penis
• D. If there are urethral symptoms, strip or milk the ventral penis from base to glans to collect a drop

Answer: (D)

When urethral symptoms are present, the goal is to obtain material from the urethra for diagnostic testing. Striping or milking the ventral penis from base to glans expresses urethral discharge, allowing you to collect a drop directly from the urethral meatus. This sample can then be examined and sent for tests (e.g., microscopy, culture, NAAT) to detect urethritis pathogens such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. This targeted sampling from the urethra provides the most accurate information about the cause of the symptoms, whereas sampling from other areas won’t yield the same diagnostic material.