A Sound of Relief or a Sound of Panic: A Case Report on Female Urethral Sounding.

Medical urethral sounding is a common practice used to dilate the urethra. However, recreational practice comes with additional risks and perceived social stigma. This article describes a case of a middle-aged female patient inserting a 12-cm sounding device into her urethra during sexual intercourse with her partner that became lodged in her bladder. After bedside cystoscopy failed, she needed to be taken to the operating room for surgical removal. We discuss the medical complications of insertion, in both the male and female urethras, in addition to commentary on the threat that delay in treatment poses to the individuals. Safe recreational sounding practices are mentioned to best prepare the patient and physician for these situations.