A student who inserted a USB cable into his urethra had to undergo a complex surgery after he was unable to remove it himself. The 21-year-old had reportedly experimented with placing household items inside his body for sexual stimulation but was forced to seek medical help when he could not pull the cable out.
According to a case report published in the medical journal Cureus, the thick USB wire had been pushed deep into the bladder, creating complications for removal. The man was examined and X-rayed, revealing the cable was folded inside his body, with one end protruding from the urethra.
Examination showed it wasn’t the first time the young man had stuck something down there.
After attempts to pull it out manually failed, doctors at Drexel University College of Medicine in Pennsylvania placed the patient under general anaesthetic and used a ureteroscope to guide the removal.
The endoscopic camera was inserted alongside the cable to avoid further damage.
Under direct vision, the doctors gently pulled the wire back through the urethra, eventually cutting it with heavy scissors to safely extract the remaining section.
Doctors found only minor internal trauma. A catheter was inserted for a week to help the area heal and the patient was sent home with antibiotics and painkillers.
A follow-up scan a month later showed no long-term complications. The man has since relocated and did not return for further checks.
Experts warned that while cases like this are rare, they can have serious consequences.
The practice of inserting objects into the urethra, sometimes referred to as ‘sounding’, can lead to infections, internal damage, and even sepsis.
The Cureus journal said motivations can include curiosity, mental health issues, or sexual gratification.
However, the stigma and embarrassment around such injuries often lead to delays in treatment, increasing the risk of complications.