Retained self-inserted foreign body into the urethra associated with sequela urethral stenosis: a case report

Self-insertion of foreign bodies into the urethra represents a heterogeneous group of cases concerning a wide variety of objects and involving multiple procedures and surgical techniques.

We report a case of self-insertion of an electric cable into the urethra by a 36-year-old Caucasian man for erotic reasons. The patient, who has an ambiguous history of self-inflicted penile strangulation in childhood and self-insertion of foreign bodies into the urethra in recent years but no psychiatric history, presented to the emergency department to remove the object introduced one week previously. He was - strangely - asymptomatic and presented neither dysuria nor urinary incontinence or hematuria. A physical examination revealed a penile scar corresponding to the strangulation and a palpable hard, thin mass in the perineal urethra. The biologic findings were normal. Plain film of the urinary tract showed a hollow tubular object, whose size and shape corresponded to those of the urethra. Rigid cystoscopy was performed, which revealed urethral stricture at the projection of the scar. Laborious urethrotomy was performed before reaching the 25cm long cable, which was found in the urethra and removed with difficulty due to stenosis.

We encountered a particular case combining a self-introduced foreign body in the urethra and the sequelae of such manipulations, which is urethral stricture. We succeeded in treating both by endoscopy, which is not always possible in this situation.