Man, 22, has three-inch long tweezers removed from his urethra FOUR YEARS after they got stuck inside

  • The man had not suffered any problems since he inserted the tweezers himself
  • An x-ray revealed the tweezers were embedded - but open - in his urethra
  • Surgeons had to close the tweezers with pressure in order to pull them out 

A man had tweezers measuring 3.1inches (8cm) removed from his urethra four years after they got stuck inside.

The 22-year-old, who has not been identified, claimed he had not suffered from any pain since he inserted them himself. 

Doctors found the tweezers lodged at least 2.7inches (7cm) up from the end of the penis - but they did not explain why he had put them there.

Removing the tweezers posed a challenge owing to their sharp open ends, which could have destroyed the urethra while being pulled out.

But the doctors were able to squeeze the tweezers shut by applying pressure either side of the penis to keep them closed.  

Items previously found in the urethra in the past 'defy imagination', the doctors wrote, but this is only the second time tweezers or forceps  have been reported. 

The most common reason men do this is for sexual gratification, especially during masturbation. The fetish is known as 'sounding'. 

A 22-year-old man had tweezers measuring 3.1inches (8cm) removed from his urethra four years after they got stuck inside. The x-ray of the pelvis shows the open ends of the tweezers 2.7inches (7cm) up from the end of his penis (the shadow)

A 22-year-old man had tweezers measuring 3.1inches (8cm) removed from his urethra four years after they got stuck inside. The x-ray of the pelvis shows the open ends of the tweezers 2.7inches (7cm) up from the end of his penis (the shadow)

Doctors found the tweezers' closed end embedded in the bulbous urethra, near the top. The open ends were towards the external urethral meatus. To wiggle the tweezers out, a surgeon needed to apply pressure either side of the penis to 'close' the tweezers

Doctors found the tweezers' closed end embedded in the bulbous urethra, near the top. The open ends were towards the external urethral meatus. To wiggle the tweezers out, a surgeon needed to apply pressure either side of the penis to 'close' the tweezers

Doctors, led by Dr Mohamed Abouelazayem at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, reported the tale in Urology Case Reports.

They said the man visited a clinic in Saudi Arabia 'with history of inserting a metal foreign body into his urethra four years ago'.

It is not clear why the object was inserted, but is usually due to a psychiatric issue, being drunk or sexually curious, the doctors said. 

They added patients with this problem normally delay seeking medical help due to embarrassment or guilt.

He had never suffered any problems with urinating, had a fever or chills or any other symptoms, and tests revealed he was physically fine. 

After an X-ray, the man was taken into surgery where, under general anaesthetic, doctors were able to dig deeper to investigate the tweezers' position.

The found the closed end of the tweezers was embedded in the bulbous urethra, near the top.

To wiggle the tweezers out, a surgeon needed to apply pressure either side of the penis to 'close' the tweezers.

Then the surgeons' own forceps were used to pull the tweezers out through the urethra.

The doctors wrote: 'At the end of the procedure, no urethral catheter was inserted, the patient voided well and went home post procedure.

'The patient was recommended to undergo a psychiatric evaluation but he refused. The patient did not follow up with the outpatient department.'

Inserting an object into the urethra is rare, Dr Abouelazayem and colleagues wrote.

However, Richard Viney, a urological surgeon at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, said he has seen plenty of foreign bodies stuck in the urethra during his career.

He told MailOnline: 'Almost all of them have been inserted for sexual gratification. Instrumentation of the urethra is called sounding.

'I understand that it can be quite a pleasant experience once you get used to it but it is not something I would recommend due to the risk of injury, infection and subsequent stricturing (narrowing) of the urethra.

'Among the things I’ve seen was some telephone cable that knotted on itself in the bladder and couldn’t be pulled out. Bic pens are a regular favourite.'

Other objects reported in literature include fish hooks, metal roads, hairpins, screws, pellets, wires and wooden sticks.

Some of the even more bizarre choices include straws, toothbrushes, household batteries, marbles, vegetables, squirrel tail and a piece of fish.   

Mr Viney said: 'To use tweezers is clearly madness. He obviously lost control of them and once they were completely in the urethra and opened, the tips would act as barbs and make removal very challenging. 

'As they are stainless steel the patient has seen remarkably little reaction to them. Once removed I suspect there’s a strong chance he will develop stricturing in time.'

The doctors concluded: 'Psychiatric consultation is recommended to prevent further attempts at insertion of other foreign bodies in the urinary tract.'

BOY, 14, UNABLE TO URINATE AFTER SHOVING A SEWING NEEDLE INTO HIS PENIS

A teenager who went to hospital because he couldn't urinate for three days was found to have a sewing needle inside his penis.

The 14-year-old, from Tunis in Tunisia, admitted he had pushed the needle inside himself for sexual pleasure.

Doctors had to use forceps to pull out the sharp object which had become lodged 5cm (2inches) inside him.

In a case report they said cases like this are 'very rare' and revealed patients' diagnoses are often delayed because of 'shame and embarrassment'.

Doctors found a 9cm (3.5ins) long needle (pictured) inside the teenager's penis and had to use forceps to pull it out under general anaesthetic

Doctors found a 9cm (3.5ins) long needle (pictured) inside the teenager's penis and had to use forceps to pull it out under general anaesthetic

Doctors at the La Rabta Hospital in Tunisia's capital revealed the gruesome story in a medical case report.

They said the boy told doctors he had pushed the 9cm (3.5ins) needle into his urethra – the tube urine travels along – for 'erotic stimulation'.

It had been pushed in so far that the doctors couldn't see it, and an examination revealed it was 5cm along the tube.

Medics put the misguided schoolboy under general anaesthetic and used forceps to pull out the sharp metal object.

The boy's school psychologist was involved in his follow-up care but they didn't find he had any psychological issues.

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