Foreign bodies in the urogenital tract are surgical emergencies, carrying risks of perforation, infection and obstruction. Objects introduced into the urethra can migrate into the bladder, and the literature records everything from pens to magnetic ball chains. The condition is roughly twice as common in men as in women, which the longer and more segmented male urethra helps to explain.
A 71-year-old man with a history of urethral stricture after transurethral resection of the prostate presented to the emergency department after a silicone rubber rod broke during self-catheterization. Laboratory tests showed elevated inflammatory markers and a urinary tract infection with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli. Pelvic X-ray was unrevealing, but computed tomography identified a 5.24 cm × 1.15 cm rectangular foreign body in the anterior bladder with air entrapment.
Using a 22 French cystoscope, the team located the object, crushed it with a 25 French stone punch (Myomayer) and extracted the fragments with crocodile forceps through the urethra. A 16 French Foley catheter was placed, and repeat inspection confirmed no residual fragments. The patient recovered without infectious or urinary complications and was scheduled for follow-up one week later. The case illustrates how minimally invasive endoscopy, guided by advanced imaging, can replace open surgery and minimize morbidity—provided the approach is tailored to the size, shape and material of the object.
The work titled “Cystoscopic extraction of an unusual intravesical foreign body: A case report” was published in UroPrecision (published on September 22, 2025).
DOI:10.1002/uro2.70033