Published Jul 22, 2002
nursecheryl
111 Posts
After being off for a one week vacation, I went to visit a new paient in his home when he verb that urine was leaking from his urinary catheter. The plan was for him to have a suprapubic placed the next day. I looked to see what was going on and noticed that the member was split in half like a hotdog bun and the catheter was sitting in the middle of this. I asked him how long it was like this and he said 3 years. The patient care giver said this was correct. I asked how it happened and neither one was sure but the patient verb a catheter caused it. Has anyone ever heard of this and what causes it to happen. There was no documentation in the chart and his regular nurse is now on vacation and I'm unable to ask. The reason he is my patient now is because he is on IV antibiotics and I'm one of the IV nurses for my agency. Would appreciate any information on this from anyone who has ever heard of such a problem.
RNConnieF
324 Posts
I never saw this, and I sure don't know a lot but... no man is born with a member "split in half like a hot dog bun". Anything not normal is abnormal and should be investigated!
LasVegasRN
835 Posts
That would completely freak me out. I wonder what the medical term for that is. I'm thinking Phimosis but not sure...
His doctor is aware of it and is doing surgery tomorrow for a suprapubic due to urinary infections he keeps getting. So it has been investigated. Just wondering if anyone else has ever heard of it and knows anything about it.
fedupnurse
790 Posts
Sounds like a good topic for the frakiest thing you've seen at work thread! Wonder if it hurts? Poor guy.
nursesearl, BSN, RN
86 Posts
I WORK IN HOME CARE AND HAVE A PATIENT THAT HAD THE SAME THING. IT WAS FROM "WEARING DOWN" OF HIS member BECAUSE HE ALWAYS WORE A LEG BAG AND IT TUGGED ON THE member. THERE IS A NAME FOR IT BUT IT ESCAPES ME NOW. THE UROLOGIST WAS NOT SURPRISED BY IT. HE SEWED THE member UP AND GAVE THE GUY A SUPRAPUBIC. IT HAD BEEN THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
valk
73 Posts
Acquired epispadias? Epispadias is congenital, yet it seems to fit.
http://www.atlasperovic.com/contents/11.htm
Unbelievable that people really can be born with a member split like a hot dog bun.
Be a nurse...never know what weird thing you will see next.
thisnurse
657 Posts
i saw/heard of it too...it is just as isearl said. and it is creepy
Nurse Ratched, RN
2,149 Posts
Holy cow. You all have just given me cold chills.....
Hubby read over my shoulder and visibly winced!
prmenrs, RN
4,565 Posts
It's not phimosis--that's having the foreskin so restrictive that it cannot be retracted for cleaning; all boy babies are born that way; if he isn't circumcised, it resolves in the 1st year.
Paraphimosis is when the foreskin has been retracted and cannot be returned to it's normal position. If you try to force a baby [boy]'s foreskin back, you risk getting paraphimosis, which is dangerous.
If I remember correctly, most catheter-erosion type problems occur @ the base on the member--that's where the urethra is closest to the skin. I have heard of what you described, don't know if there's a name for it other than, "OH MY GOODNESS!!"
RNPD
255 Posts
Also have seen this several times with males who have indwelling caths for an extended period of time. The urologists I know referred to it as catheter erosion.
Zee_RN, BSN, RN
951 Posts
Have seen it in long-term catheter use. Not pretty. Ewww.