Prepare to wince as you hear the unfortunate tale of a 40-year-old man who somehow managed to fracture his penis vertically, top to bottom.
For the lucky people who are unaware of what a penis fracture is, this can occur when the penis is erect.
Needless to say, those possessed of a one-eyed trouser snake may wish to brace themselves for some unpleasant descriptive imagery ahead.
When someone with a penis gets an erection this means that the spongy tissue of the penis becomes hardened.
This means that while it is in this state, the tissue which surrounds it could potentially be ‘fractured’.
This is not like a bone fracture as it is the tissue itself which ‘breaks’.
It can be extremely painful and if not treated can result in erectile dysfunction.
Usually when this kind of injury happens the penis is fractured horizontally with a characteristic ‘pop’.
Think of it like a twig being snapped in two.
The patient fractured his penis vertically (stock image). (Peter Dazeley / Getty)
While it’s easier to imagine how one might fracture a penis horizontally if things are getting a little heated, this injury went a different way.
Rather than across, the unfortunate gent fractured his own member vertically.
So rather than a twig snapping, think of it like someone splitting a log or whittling a stick.
A report in the British Medical Journal revealed how urologists record that the penis was fractured after it ‘buckled against his partner’s perineum’.
The perineum is the area between the genitals and the anus, and has bone underneath it rather than something more accommodating.
I’ll leave the circumstances around how the injury may have occurred to your imagination.
The patient reported full sexual function six months after surgery (stock image). (Atstock Productions / Getty)
An MRI scan revealed that the penis had fractured along its length, with this potentially being the first time that doctors have encountered such an injury.
Fortunately medics were able to act quickly and after surgery the man made a full recovery.
After a recovery period of six months the patient was able to have sex again and reported no significant changes to the appearance of his penis as well as the same quality of erection as before.
The study reported that around 88.5 percent of penis fractures happen during sex, which does make you wonder about the other 11.5 percent.
The most common positions for the injury are reportedly missionary and doggy style.
Penis fractures are still very rare, affecting around 1 in 175,000 people a year.
The recovery of this patient should tell you that if you are one of those unlucky few, get yourself to a hospital as soon as you can.
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
Kit Roberts
Woman died from dunking in cold water during therapy after it triggered heart condition
Kellie Jean Poole died during a cold water therapy session in an English river
A mother of three died after suffering a cardiac arrest whilst taking part in a cold water therapy session.
The mother of 39-year-old Kellie Jean Poole is calling for greater regulation after her daughter tragically died whilst plunging into a river as part of a session because of an undiagnosed heart condition.
Poole was pronounced dead at the River Goyt in Derbyshire, England on April 25, 2022 after taking part in a cold-water session that included breathing exercises before getting into a cold river wearing only a bathing suit.
Cold water therapy has been championed by many celebrities, even superstars like Chris Hemsworth and Kim Kardashian.
The coroner concluded that the cold water was what probably caused her ‘sudden cardiac death’.
Kellie, from Greater Manchester, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, and the inquest into her death has heard evidence from a doctor that the cold water – recorded at 10.7C – was a relevant factor.
Consultant cardiologist Damian Kelly, when asked about whether the cold water was a factor, said: “Yes, I think that is what has happened. It is difficult not to see it as relevant.”
Kellie was taking part in a session organised by UK-based company Breatheolution at the time of her death. On their website, the cold water therapy is said to have immune system benefits, as well as relieving stress and improving mental health.
The website reads: “The cold water therapy is proving to have a significant effect on clients, and although it can be tough including some uncomfortable sensations of the body, the benefits are incredible.
“Cold therapy and exposure to cold is now proving to be highly beneficial in so many ways, from sports injuries to even helping severe PTSD or anxiety sufferers step away from prescribed medication, not to mention what the cold delivers to our immune and nervous systems.”
Victoria Fielding, a friend of Kellie, said that the pair performed breathing exercises before entering the water, and that they were ‘enjoying’ their time, as well as ‘laughing and giggling’.
However, Kellie later complained of a headache, before falling forward into the water. CPR was administered by the company’s owner and founder, Kevin O’Neill, but it was unsuccessful.
A post-mortem found she died of sudden cardiac arrest caused by left ventricular hypertrophy, thickening of walls in the heart’s lower chamber.
Senior coroner Peter Nieto said that he does not blame the company for Kellie’s death.
He said: “I don’t see how it would have been possible for Mr. O’Neill to foresee that Kellie would get into the difficulty she did and sadly die on the riverbank,
“Quite simply, he did not know that she had a very serious cardiac condition, and she did not know herself, so I don’t think it is possible to say her death could have been avoided.”
But Kellie’s mother is now calling for regulation of the activity.
Diane Service said: “I can’t believe that these activities are not regulated. It is a change that needs to come very soon,
“It is too late for Kellie, but not for someone else.”
Diane added that whilst she knows her daughter’s death is ‘nobody’s fault’ she ‘just can’t believe it’.
O’Neill also called for more regulation, telling the inquest: “I have witnessed every reaction possible in the cold in the last three years, and it does need regulating.”
Featured Image Credit: Facebook
