Urethral Foreign Bodies: Clinical Presentation and Management

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Case Series

Background:

• Foreign bodies inserted into the urethra are uncommon but present unique diagnostic and management challenges.
• Understanding the patterns of urethral foreign body insertion is crucial for effective clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze a 15-year single-institution experience with urethral foreign bodies.
• To detail the evaluation, clinical findings, management strategies, and outcomes of urethral foreign body cases.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 27 patients (35 episodes) with urethral foreign bodies treated between 2000 and 2015.
• Data collected included patient demographics, item characteristics, insertion rationale, presenting symptoms, removal techniques, and complications.

Main Results:

• The majority of patients were male (97%), with a median age of 26. Common inserted items included plastic, metal, and organic materials.
• Reasons for insertion varied, including self-stimulation and erectile enhancement. Presenting symptoms ranged from dysuria to urinary retention.
• Manual extraction was the most frequent removal method (54%), followed by endoscopic retrieval (23%). Complications included urinary tract infections, sepsis, and urethral injuries.

Conclusions:

• Urethral foreign body insertion is a rare, often recurrent behavior with substantial risks of urethral trauma.
• Management requires careful evaluation and appropriate intervention to minimize infection and long-term sequelae.