Case Report
Spinal Cord (2003) 41, 367–368. doi:10.1038/sj.sc.3101448
Penile urethral obstruction in a subject with spinal cord injury
U K Syam1, A B Taly2, K P Sivaraman Nair1, R Sridhara1 and T Murali1
- 1Department of Psychiatric and Neurorehabilitation, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Hosur Road, Bangalore, India
- 2Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Hosur Road, Bangalore, India
Correspondence: KP Sivaraman Nair, Department of Psychiatric and Neurological Rehabilitation, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Hosur Road, Bangalore 560 029, India
Abstract
Study design: Single case report.
Objective: To report a case of urethral obstruction because of calculus in a subject with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Setting: Bangalore, India.
Case report: A 25-year-old man sustained complete SCI at C6 level following a road traffic accident. After 14 months, while on self-intermittent catheterization he noticed difficulty in introducing catheter and acute retention of urine. X-ray examination revealed a calculus in the penile urethra at the level of the glans penis.
Conclusion: Impaction of calculi in penile urethra, although rare, can manifest with acute painless urinary retention in patients with SCI.
Keywords:
tetraplegia, spinal cord injury, urinary retention, urethral obstruction, calculus
