SEO title: Man Requires Surgery After Inserting Superglue Into His Urethra

Meta description: A rare medical case describes how superglue caused a severe urethral blockage, urinary retention and pain in a 41-year-old man.

Superglue in the Urethra Caused a Severe Urinary Blockage

Patient: A 41-year-old man from Iran

Symptoms: The man visited an outpatient clinic after about a week of severe pain during urination and discomfort above his pubic bone. His urine stream had become weak, and he was unable to empty his bladder fully.

What happened?

The patient told doctors that urinary incontinence had begun approximately one month earlier. In an attempt to treat the problem himself, he inserted superglue into his urethra and continued the practice for two weeks.

At first, the superglue appeared to improve his symptoms. However, after four days, his urine output began to decrease and urination became increasingly painful. Two weeks after stopping the application, he could barely urinate and was experiencing constant pain.

Doctors found a hardened foreign object

During a physical examination, doctors found a hard foreign object inside the penile urethra. They also observed brittle pieces of dried superglue near the urethral opening at the tip of the penis.

The medical team attempted to examine the urethra using a cystoscope, a narrow instrument with a camera that allows doctors to view the urinary passage. The procedure could not be completed because the hardened glue had created a significant obstruction.

Because the patient was at risk of complete urinary retention and further injury, surgeons performed an emergency procedure to remove the adhesive plug.

Surgery removed a 10-centimeter glue plug

The surgeon made an approximately 2-centimeter incision in the glans, near the tip of the penis. The urethra was then irrigated with about 3 liters of saline for 15 minutes. This helped saturate the hardened adhesive and separate it from the urethral wall.

After careful manipulation, doctors removed a solid piece of glue shaped like a rod. The foreign body measured approximately 4 inches, or 10 centimeters, in length.

Following surgery, the patient’s urination and urine tests returned to normal. He left the hospital five days later with a catheter in place for 10 days and received antibiotics to help prevent infection. At a follow-up appointment six weeks later, he was urinating normally and had experienced no further complications.

Doctors were unable to determine the original cause of his urinary incontinence.

Why inserting objects into the urethra is dangerous

The urethra is a delicate tube that carries urine out of the body. Inserting superglue or any other foreign object can tear or burn the tissue, cause bleeding, create a blockage, introduce bacteria and lead to serious infection.

Superglue can harden quickly when exposed to moisture. Inside the urinary tract, it may form a solid obstruction that prevents urine from passing. Attempting to remove hardened glue at home can cause additional damage and may push the material deeper into the urethra or bladder.

Medical literature has described rare cases involving the intentional insertion of superglue into the urethra. These cases have generally required endoscopic treatment or surgery. Foreign objects reported in other cases have included magnets, pencils, earphones, thermometers, batteries and parts of household items.

When urinary symptoms require urgent medical care

Anyone experiencing an inability to urinate, severe pain, blood in the urine, swelling, fever or worsening urinary symptoms should seek urgent medical attention. Complete urinary retention is a medical emergency.

People should never insert superglue, solvents or other substances into the urethra. If a foreign object has been inserted, do not attempt to remove it with tools or chemicals. Contact an emergency department or urologist immediately.

This unusual case was reported in Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine.

What makes this case unusual? Superglue is occasionally used accidentally or intentionally in body cavities such as the ear or nose, but urethral insertion is extremely rare. Because the adhesive can quickly harden and attach to sensitive tissue, treatment may require specialized urological procedures.

Medical reference: Mirabi, P. (2020). “A rare case of foreign body in the male urethra due to self-insertion of superglue: A case report.” Caspian Journal of Internal Medicine, 11(3), 333–336.