Open Access

CASE REPORT

An unusual penpal: case report and literature review of posterior urethral injuries secondary to foreign body insertion

J. C. Forde, R. G. Casey, R. Grainger

Department of Urology, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Address correspondence to Dr. James Forde, Department of Urology, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland

Canadian Journal of Urology 2009, 16(4), 4757-4759.

Abstract

We report the case of a 57-year-old male who attended the emergency department after inserting a ballpoint pen into his urethra 24 hours earlier during a sexual encounter. Rigid cystoscopy was performed and confirmed the foreign body to have caused a partial rupture of the posterior urethra. It was subsequently removed using a combination of graspers and stone retrieval baskets. Self insertion of foreign bodies into the urethra is often as a result of psychiatric disturbance, alcohol intoxication or as a means of sexual gratification. Posterior urethral injuries are more commonly associated with pelvic trauma and iatrogenic injuries. Injury secondary to self insertion of a foreign body is infrequently reported. Temporary insertion of a urethral catheter may be necessary. We reviewed the literature in relation to this unusual problem.

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Keywords

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