A 72-year-old old man living in China was admitted to the hospital after experiencing an intense bout of pain. The man who admitted to wearing a ring on his penis in the hospital explained that he had been living with a 2 cm thick metal ring for 6 months. Detailing the horrific incident of the unidentified man in the Asian Journal of Surgery, surgeons shared pictures showing how his organ had swelled significantly.
THEY USED A SAW TO REMOVE THE RING
Ulcers were also visible in the ‘surrounding skin’. But the man did not complain of any difficulties when urinating. Doctors initially tried to remove the ring using ordinary tools, but their attempts were unsuccessful. They borrowed professional cutting equipment from the fire department in the form of a heavy wire cutter. However, efforts to remove the ring were again unsuccessful. The paramedics eventually removed it using a circular saw and another heavy-duty tool, often used to cut metal.
THEY CANNOT SAVE THE ENTIRE PENIS
Cutting metal creates heat as a byproduct, so water had to be sprayed on the man’s penis to keep him cool during the process. But according to the team that intervened, it was too late to save his entire penis. Due to the lack of blood flow, the dead tissue at the root of the penis was removed and the wound was sutured. Three incisions were made to place a ‘drain strip’ on the man’s penis as well to relieve swelling. After the operation, the man was given antibiotics.
WOUND HEALED AFTER TWO MONTHS
Paramedics said the swelling had ‘significantly reduced’ after a seven-day hospital stay and the man was given more antibiotics. His doctors said a follow-up appointment two months later showed his wound was healing and he was able to urinate.
Penile strangulation first entered the medical literature in 1755 and has rarely been documented since then, with less than 100 official reports. Penis rings reduce blood flow in the veins, which causes swelling of the penis and testicles. Men often use devices to masturbate to increase ‘sexual curiosity’ as well as sexual satisfaction. They also stated that it is sometimes done by mentally ill people. Objects such as metal rings and cones, pipes and plastic bottle necks have all been reported to have been used in penile strangulation cases.