Penile strangulation by home-made erectile device

ABSTRACT

A 44-year-old man was admitted with penile edema and pain after having forced a narrow ring of cast iron around the base of his penis five days earlier. He was able to void without problems and there was no evidence of urinary retention. The patient, his general practitioner, and a general surgeon failed to remove the ring by various compression maneuvers. The patient was admitted to the department of urology. However, we had no instruments in our armamentarium capable of cutting cast iron. We contacted the engineering workshop of the hospital, where the engineers recommended the use of an electric iron saw. In order to protect the soft tissue from the sharp teeth of the saw a metal blade covered with a rubber sheet was passed under the iron ring. To prevent heating the saw blade was irrigated with cold water. The patient was given a muffler to protect his hearing. The ring was cut in two places and could be removed without damage to the skin. The patient was discharged the next day. One year later he reports having normal erectile function and no voiding problems