The Story of Phimostop
It all began on 6 December 2010, when Italian patent number RM 2010A000632 was filed. Behind the invention is Carlo Boschetto, a Roman entrepreneur who would later found the company Phimomed Srls.
The underlying idea is simple but original: apply the well-established mechanical principle of progressive dilation of skin tissue to a very common medical condition that is often treated almost exclusively with surgery. That condition is phimosis, a narrowing of the foreskin that prevents the glans from being uncovered.
Phimostop is based on the natural ability of epidermal tissue to adapt under progressive, constant dilation. Boschetto turned this principle into a concrete medical device: a series of medical-grade silicone tubes of increasing diameter, worn progressively.
How the device is built
Phimostop consists of 22 medical-grade silicone elements designed to sit over the glans and perform gentle, progressive dilation, acting directly on the narrowed area. Thanks to a patented fastening system, the tubes can be worn comfortably during the day or at night.
2014
Institutional recognition
After years of development, the product was validated by the Italian Ministry of Health on 13 January 2014 under number 1058196, and the Italian patent was granted on 7 March 2014. A European patent followed, number 2648642. Phimostop thus became the first medical device registered in Italy for the non-surgical treatment of phimosis.
2015
Gold medal in Geneva
International recognition came on 17 April 2015. At the 43rd International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, David Taji-Farouk, president of the scientific jury, awarded Carlo Boschetto the gold medal in the “Health” category, with the citation:
“Phimostop makes circumcision surgery unnecessary in cases of phimosis.”
Boschetto stated that the greatest reward remains the positive feedback he receives every day from more than 6,000 patients across Europe who had already used the device with good results.
2021
Clinical validation
A decisive step in the product’s scientific credibility came with the clinical research carried out at the Policlinico Universitario Tor Vergata in Rome. The study, titled “Can circumcision be avoided in adult male with phimosis? Results of the Phimostop prospective trial”, was published in 2021 in the international journal Translational Andrology and Urology. The research, coordinated by Prof. Miano, showed that more than 80% of patients would recommend using Phimostop before resorting to surgery. All patients in the sample had initially been advised to undergo surgery.
The product today
Today, Phimostop is the first European medical device designed for the non-surgical treatment of phimosis. It is sold without a prescription, available online and distributed in several European countries. More than 300 men buy Phimostop every month.
What Phimostop represents today
It is the story of an Italian invention born from a relatively simple insight: applying progressive dilation to a widespread but rarely discussed medical problem. In little more than a decade, it has earned institutional, scientific and international validation.