Penile Gangrene following Penile Bandaging for Uncontrollable Bleeding Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Case Report

Abstract

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common ailments that affect elderly men. Frequently, affected patients present with lower urinary tract symptoms and complications such as urinary retention and haematuria. Haematuria complicating BPH can be very daunting and challenging to manage, pushing the surgeon sometimes to employ some unconventional and unorthodox methods when all management protocols in his armamentarium are exhausted. The complications resulting from these unconventional methods of managing bleeding BPH may be costly with high morbidity and mortality. Penile gangrene, a generally rare entity has not been reported (to the best of our knowledge) as a complication of these unorthodox methods of managing bleeding BPH. Here, we present the case of a 62-year-old man who had his penis bandaged and suspended for two days following an episode of uncontrollable haematuria in the Accident and Emergency Unit of a tertiary health facility. He subsequently developed penile gangrene necessitating his presentation to our facility after discharging against medical advice. He eventually had suprapubic cystostomy and control of the haematuria. Subsequently, he had a prostatectomy and penile refashioning. This case report emphasizes the challenges of managing bleeding BPH and the dangers of employing unconventional and unorthodox treatment protocol in the management of bleeding BPH.