Complete urethral rupture accompanying penile fracture: a case report

Penile fracture is a rare urological emergency. It occurs due to the penis being subjected to force during intercourse or other causes. Treatment is usually surgical. Urethral injury accompanies 10-20% of cases. In this case, a complete urethral rupture accompanying a penile fracture is aimed to be presented.

A 45-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department with complaints of a snapping sound, pain, and sudden loss of erection during sexual intercourse. After a while, bleeding from the external meatus and inability to urinate were added to his complaints. Physical examination showed typical signs of penile fracture along with urethrorrhagia. The penile doppler ultrasound result was reported to be consistent with a penile fracture and uretral injury. Approximately one hour after presenting to the emergency department, the patient underwent surgery. Considering the possibility of urethral rupture, a urethroscopy was performed before fracture repair, revealing a urethral defect approximately 8 cm proximal to the external meatus. Surgical repair found a near-complete bilateral rupture of the corpus cavernosum and a complete urethral rupture. The urethral rupture and fracture area were repaired according to surgical procedure standards. No additional complaints or new pathologies were observed in the early postoperative follow-up. The patient was discharged with a catheter on postoperative day 3. On the 14th postoperative day, the patient's catheter was removed. At the 3-month follow-up, the patient had no urinary complaints, and the uroflowmetry test showed a Qmax of 35. No pathology was detected in the urethrography performed. At the one-year follow-up, the patient's International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score was 26, indicating no additional complaints.

Complete urethral rupture and bilateral corpus cavernosum rupture are rare urological emergencies, typically resulting from trauma applied to an erect penis. A physical examination, ultrasonography, and, when necessary, imaging techniques such as cystoscopy are the diagnostic modalities employed in such cases. Early surgical treatment has been shown to improve functional outcomes and reduce long-term complications.

Early surgical intervention in the treatment of penile fractures not only preserves sexual function but also significantly reduces long-term complications. Urethral rupture should always be considered in fractures accompanied by urethrorrhagia and hematuria.