A man broke his erect penis in two places after he rolled onto it in his sleep, doctors have said.
The 27-year-old is said to have experienced unbearable pain after the incident, which has been recounted in a medical journal. It reveals that the man heard a “snap” as he turned over during his sleep in an unfortunate mishap.
The gentleman from Tunisia had to endure this distress for 36 hours before receiving any medical attention.
Doctors at Ibn El Jazzar Hospital in Kairouan diagnosed him with an “eggplant deformity,” indicative of a penile fracture.
Following the distressing injury, the man underwent surgery to repair both tears.
READ MORE: Man breaks penis in three places after hearing sudden ‘snap’ while having sex
Medical experts have said that despite there being no bone in the penis, the body part can still be “fractured” by sharp, blunt trauma. Typically, a cracking sound is audible when such an accident occurs, giving the penis an “aubergine” appearance as a result of swelling and purpling.
Detailed injury scans revealed fractures 3cm apart, sized 10mm and 7mm respectively. Thankfully, the injured chap suffered no permanent damage, with swelling subsiding within two days post-surgical repair, reports the Mirror.
He was reported to resume normal urination four days after the procedure. Immediate medical intervention is deemed crucial if a penis fracture is suspected.
An erection in men is caused by two tubes in the penis, known as “corpora cavernosa”, filling with blood and hardening the organ. These tubes are encased by a lining called tunica albuginea, and damage to these areas can result in a fracture.
The International Journal of Surgery Case Reports highlighted that instances of men suffering from “two distinct fractures” are a “rarity”, with doctors noting: “Single fractures are reported more frequently.”
This follows a report by The Mirror in 2020 which revealed NHS figures showing that 164 men had to seek medical treatment after snapping their penises in 2019 – a staggering increase of 38 percent compared to the data for 2014/5. Despite the absence of a bone in the human penis, it can still break if violently twisted.
The NHS clarified: “There are no bones in the penis, but the tubes that fill with blood during an erection can burst. Blood pours out of them inside the penis and causes a very painful swelling.”
While 164 men were treated for snapped penises last year, the NHS suggests that the actual number of men suffering a broken penis is likely much higher.
They further added: “Reported cases of penile fracture are rare, but it’s thought that some men are too embarrassed to report it to their doctor.”
