Humans are as diverse as the stars in the sky, but a vast majority of us share similar bodily functions. We eat through our mouth, breathe through our nose, and excrete through our anus. However, doctors have disclosed a rather peculiar case of a man who doesn't have the same functions as everyone else. He was studied by specialists from the University of Texas Medical Center at Galveston, and the whole report was published in the journal Cureus. What was it about?
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‘A curious case of rectal ejaculation’
According to the report, a 33-year-old unnamed man had gone to the hospital with complaints of testicular pain. He also mentioned that for the past two years, a substantial amount of sperm and urine was passing through his rectum. Given his alarming claims, examinations were carried out full speed.
The tests revealed a number of concerns, including swelling in the left testicle, a defect in the rectal wall, a possible urinary infection, and an abnormal opening (fistula) between the prostate and rectum. Because of these compounding issues, the two organs were interacting with each other in unusual ways and as a result the American had semen and urine in the rectum, and gas and faeces in the urine.
Drug abuse
It is also important to mention that the patient had an extensive history of drug abuse. Two years earlier, the patient had been admitted to the hospital for more than three weeks because he was intoxicated with cocaine and another hallucinogenic drug. He had slipped into a coma during which a urinary catheter was inserted and as a result blood was released into the urine. It was after that incident that the fistula first appeared.
Fortunately, the doctors were able to close up the fistula and the patient made a full recovery—well apart from the fact that he had decreased levels of sperm production for several months.
The authors of the study concluded that the rare complication could have been a result of trauma during the use of catheters. They wrote:
This case not only highlights a rare complication of catheter use but also emphasises the importance of provider mindfulness when utilising seemingly benign therapies such as Foley catheters.
