An organic intravesical foreign body caused by penetrating trauma that was missed during initial management

We report a case of an intravesical foreign body that was incompletely removed endoscopically and that defied diagnosis with current diagnostic tools. A 65-year-old man visited Korea University Anam Hospital complaining of dysuria and a sensation of residual urine. His medical history included an intravesical foreign body caused by penetrating trauma, and he had undergone endoscopic removal of foreign bodies 1 year previously. After additional remnant intravesical foreign bodies were found, he had undergone additional endoscopic removal and his urinary symptoms subsided. After 2 years, however, he again presented to the clinic complaining of dysuria and gross hematuria. Cystoscopy and computed tomography for intravesical foreign bodies were performed, but no evidence of a remnant foreign body was found. Open exploration revealed a remnant foreign body penetrating the bladder. A partial cystectomy including the foreign body was performed. We suggest that cases of penetrating injury with a radiolucent object may warrant primary open exploration and foreign body removal owing to the inherent difficulties in diagnosis and endoscopic treatment of such objects.