Intravesical foreign bodies: five-year review.

All manner of foreign bodies have been extracted from the bladder. Introduction into the bladder may be through self-insertion, iatrogenic means or migration from adjacent organs. Extraction should be tailored according to the nature of the foreign body and should minimise bladder and urethral trauma. Complete extraction should also be confirmed by panendoscopy at the end of the extraction procedure. A 5-year review of our experience in this field has been conducted and the management and complications of intravesical foreign bodies are described. Of the 15 patients presenting to this department, 11 presented acutely and 4 presented with chronic symptoms due to complications which arose later. The possibility of an intravesical foreign body should be considered in any patient with chronic unexplained lower urinary tract symptoms.