Discoblog » health issues I wish I didn’t know about

NCBI ROFL: Sneezing induced by sexual ideation or orgasm: an under-reported phenomenon.

ncbi rofl — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:19:02 +0000

“We describe a hitherto under-recognized curious response in some individuals: of sneezing in response either to sexual ideation or in response to orgasm. Our review suggests that it may be much more common than expected. We surmise that an indiscrete stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system may be an underlying mechanism to explain this and other reported unusual triggers of sneezing.”

Bonus quote from the full text:
“From the sporadic reports in the medical literature, we surmised that the phenomenon of sneezing in response to sexual ideation or in response to orgasm is more common than recognized. As this is a problem that does not lead to morbidity and may be seen as embarrassing to discuss it may be under-reported. We performed a search of Internet ‘chat rooms’ where this problem may be discussed in an anonymous forum, using the Google search engine and with terms ‘sex, sneeze OR sneezing’. We searched in June 2007, and again six months later in December 2007. We found many discussions of the phenomena, with 17 people of both sexes reporting sneezing immediately upon sexual ideation, and three people after orgasm. Non-expert responses to the queries proposed all ...

NCBI ROFL: Does bestiality cause penile cancer?

ncbi rofl — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 23:46:40 +0000

Sex with Animals (SWA): Behavioral Characteristics and Possible Association with Penile Cancer. A Multicenter Study

“Introduction. Zoophilia has been known for a long time but, underreported in the medical literature, is likely a risk factor for human urological diseases. Aim. To investigate the behavioral characteristics of sex with animals (SWA) and its associations with penile cancer (PC) in a case-control study. Methods. A questionnaire about personal and sexual habits was completed in interviews of 118 PC patients and 374 controls (healthy men) recruited between 2009 and 2010 from 16 urology and oncology centers. Main Outcome Measures. SWA rates, geographic distribution, duration, frequency, animals involved, and behavioral habits were investigated and used to estimate the odds of SWA as a PC risk factor. Results. SWA was reported by 171 (34.8%) subjects, 44.9% of PC patients and 31.6% of controls (P < 0.008). The mean ages at first and last SWA episode were 13.5 years (standard deviation [SD] 4.4 years) and 17.1 years (SD 5.3 years), respectively. Subjects who reported SWA also reported more venereal diseases (P < 0.001) and sex with prostitutes (P < 0.001), and were more likely to have had more than 10 lifetime sexual partners (P < 0.001) than those who ...

NCBI ROFL: And the August “no sh*t, Sherlock” award goes to…

ncbi rofl — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:00:59 +0000

Fish-hook injuries: a risk for fishermen.

“Fishing is one of the best known and practiced human activities. However, you should remember that, when casting the hook from the riverbank or grasping it to add bait, fishermen run a real risk of injury if the hook punctures the skin. Briefly we describe a case where a young, 32-year-old fisherman who was reeling the hook back to shore when it hit him in the face and embedded itself in his upper eyelid. Upon examination, the eye was found to be unharmed and the hook was removed through a small incision and the aid of a local anesthetic.In the light of this case report, we think it a good idea to advise our friends and patients who we know to be fishermen to wear some form of eye protection as a precaution.”

Photo: flickr/Lazurite

NCBI ROFL: Airplane vacuum toilets: an uncommon travel hazard.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 23:00:59 +0000

“Each year, millions of people travel aboard airplanes and cruise ships. A significant portion of the newer larger airplanes (the Boeing 767 and the Aerobus) and cruise ships now have vacuum toilet systems. There have been no reports in the medical literature on the frequency of injuries associated with the use of these toilets, but serious injury, including soft tissue trauma and organ evisceration, may be associated with the use of such devices.) The investigators report a case of significant perineal injury accompanied by hypotension associated with the use of a vacuum toilet on an airplane.

A 37-year-old white female was using a vacuum toilet on board an airplane. The toilet seat was upright. The woman was sitting directly on the commode. After flushing while still seated, she experienced pain in the perineal area. She was unable to remove herself from the toilet because of the created suction and she required assistance from the flight attendants. The patient experienced vaginal bleeding, and bright red blood was noted in the toilet. Paramedics were called when the plane landed. There was no diversion of the aircraft…

…Two risk factors for vacuum toilet injury can ...

NCBI ROFL: Bicyclist’s vulva: observational study.

ncbi rofl — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 23:00:58 +0000

“Many chronic injuries related to athletic bicycling are now recognised: cyclist’s nipples,1 neuropathic syndromes,2 and skin problems caused by the saddle. We have seen a new clinical problem in female high level cycling competitors: bicyclist’s vulva. Six women, aged 21-38 years, had a unilateral chronic swelling of the labium majus after a few years of intensive bicycling (an average of 462.5 km per week). All six had typical unilateral lymphoedema (five on the right side, one on the left) which was more severe after more intense and longer training. The position of the bicycle saddle, the type of shorts worn, and the women’s perineal hygiene were optimum. There was no family history of lymphoedema in any of the women, nor any common factor that might explain the lymphoedema.”

Photo: flickr/ richardmasoner

Thanks to Therese M. for today’s ROFL!

WTF ...

NCBI ROFL: How good is cola for dissolution of gastric phytobezoars?

ncbi rofl — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:00:47 +0000

[Editor's note: definition of bezoars from the full text: "Bezoars are hard masses or concretions of indigestible food, vegetable fiber or hair that are found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, usually in the stomach."]

“AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of cola treatment for gastric phytobezoars, including diospyrobezoars.

METHODS: A total of 17 patients (range: 48 to 78 years) with symptomatic gastric phytobezoars treated with cola and adjuvant endoscopic therapy were reviewed. Three liters of cola lavage (10 cases) or drink (7 cases) were initially used, and then endoscopic fragmentation was done for the remnant bezoars by using a lithotripsy basket or a polypectomy snare. The overall success of dissolving a gastric phytobezoars with using three liters of cola and the clinical and endoscopic findings were compared retrospectively between four cases of complete dissolution by using only cola and 13 cases of partial dissolution with cola.

RESULTS: After 3 L of cola lavage or drinking, a complete dissolution of bezoars was achieved in four patients (23.5%), while 13 cases (76.5%) were only partially dissolved. Phytobezoars (4 of 6 cases) were observed more frequently than diospyrobezoars (0 of 11) in the group that underwent ...

NCBI ROFL: An unusual finding during screening colonoscopy: a cockroach!

ncbi rofl — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:00:57 +0000

It’s insect week on NCBI ROFL! All week long we’ll be featuring the funniest scientific papers about our favorite creepy crawlies. Enjoy!

“A 52-year-old woman with a history of depression was referred by her primary physician for colorectal cancer screening. She had no family history of colorectal cancer and a review of systems was positive for abdominal bloating. Bowel preparation was done using 4 L of polyethylene glycol the evening prior to screening colonoscopy. The procedure was uncomplicated with no gross mucosal pathology, however, an insect was found in the transverse colon (Fig. 1, to the left), was found in the transverse colon on a routine screening colonoscopy.). The insect was aspirated and sent to the lab for further identification. The insect had three body segments (head, thorax, and abdomen) with ventrodorsal flattening of the body and a segmented abdomen, three pairs of legs extending from the thorax (with spikes and claw-like terminal appendages), elongated hind legs, and a pair of elongated antennae extending from the head to beyond the hind legs.These morphologic findings were most consistent with the nymph form of Blattella germanica (German ...

NCBI ROFL: An unusual perversion: the desire to be injured by an automobile operated by a woman.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:00:52 +0000

“Some perversions, while representing formidable psychopathology, are also tributes to the complexity of the human mind and unconscious ego mechanisms. The patient, a man in his late twenties, reported a periodic desire to be injured by a woman operating an automobile. This wish, present since adolescence, he had by dint of great ingenuity and effort, gratified hundreds of times without serious injury or detection. Satisfaction could be obtained by inhaling exhaust fumes, having a limb run over on a yielding surface to avoid appreciable damage or by being pressed against the wall by a vehicle. Gratification was enhanced if the woman were attractive by conventional standards. Injuries inflicted by men operating automobiles or other types of injury inflicted by women had no meaning. He experienced pleasure from the experience, thus establishing the symptom as a perversion rather than a compulsion. The patient’s sexual, social, and occupational adjustment was good and his intelligence superior. He intellectualized to a considerable extent but could experience and manage strong positive and negative feelings. He was ashamed of his symptom but somewhat proud of its unusual nature. … At least two interlocking themes are necessary for ...

NCBI ROFL: Penis stuck in a PVC pipe? We have a solution!

ncbi rofl — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:00:48 +0000

Removal of a Long PVC Pipe Strangulated in the Penis by Hot-Melt Method.

“Introduction. Penile incarceration for erotic or autoerotic purposes has been reported in a wide range of age groups, and often presents a significant challenge to urologic surgeons. No ready method has been reported for removing a polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe entrapped on the penis. Aim. To present our experience in using hot-melt method to remove a constricted PVC pipe on the penis. Methods. A long melting split was made on the PVC pipe entrapped on the penis by using the long narrow branch of forceps heated on a gas stove. Results. The heated forceps was able to make a melt split on the PVC pipe. Consequently, the PVC pipe was removed by pulling the edges of the pipe apart without much difficulty. The total operation time was 20 minutes. Conclusion. Penile incarceration is a urologic emergency, for which resourcefulness is required in some unexpected cases. Hot-melting has proved to be an easy and effective method for removing penile strangulation by a PVC pipe. To our knowledge, it is the first report about the removal of PVC pipe entrapped on a ...

NCBI ROFL: When love makes you blind…literally.

ncbi rofl — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 00:00:43 +0000

Transient monocular blindness precipitated by sexual intercourse.

“The physiological response to sexual activity includes an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity, heart rate and systolic blood pressure. Our patient experienced transient monocular visual loss every time he reached the climax of sexual intercourse, but never while performing strenuous physical exercise. Hypothetical mechanisms of transient monocular visual loss in our patient include vasoconstriction or embolism in the arterial blood supply of the eye. The repeated and completely transient nature of our patient’s symptoms supports the fact that embolism was not involved, whereas the resolution of the symptoms after initiation of the treatment with the vasodilator enalapril supports vasoconstriction as the cause of transient blindness.”

Photo: flickr/Lianne Viau

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NCBI ROFL: Voodoo allergy cure fail.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 00:50:27 +0000

Voodoo dermatitis after an attempted voodoo cure for marking nut dermatitis

“A 42-year-old Indian man from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh State, presented with a 4-day history of severe itching over the back, starting 2 days after application of diluted marking nut juice over two human figures etched by a knife on his back by a local traditional healer. The healer was attempting to cure the patient of his repeated skin problems induced by exposure to the marking nuts. Cutaneous examination revealed marked erythema around the two human figures etched on the patient’s back (Fig. 1). There were no systemic complaints. He had not used any local or oral medication. Systemic examination was not contributory, and routine hematology and urine examination were normal. The patient had suffered from several episodes of severely itchy facial skin lesions and periorbital edema, developing after exposure to the fumes of marking nuts being boiled in pots by his neighbors (Fig. 2a). On two occasions, he required hospitalization and treatment with hydrocortisone acetate injections and hydroxyzine hydrochloride tablets. Fed up with this, he consulted a traditional healer, who assured him of a cure by etching the figures of his ...

NCBI ROFL: Free-range maggots better for cleaning putrid wounds.

ncbi rofl — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:00:08 +0000

Maggot debridement therapy: free-range or contained? An in-vivo study.

“OBJECTIVE: To determine which method of maggot debridement therapy–free-range or contained–is more effective for wound healing. METHODS: In vivo study of 64 patients with 69 chronic wounds that showed signs of gangrenous or necrotic tissue. Patients were treated with either free-range or contained maggot debridement therapy according to maggot availability, dressing difficulty, and physician preference. RESULTS: Significantly better outcomes were achieved with the free-range technique versus the contained technique (P = .028). With the free-range technique, the mean number of maggot applications and the total number of maggots per treatment were significantly lower than with the contained application technique (P = .028 and P < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: This clinical in vivo study supports in vitro studies in which containment of maggots was found to reduce the effectiveness of maggot debridement therapy.”

Photo: flickr/gruntzooki

WTF ...

NCBI ROFL: Accidental condom inhalation.

ncbi rofl — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 23:00:53 +0000

It’s case study flashback week on NCBI ROFL! All this week we’ll be featuring some of our favorite medical case studies from the archives. Enjoy!

“A 27-year-old lady presented with persistent cough, sputum and fever for the preceding six months. In spite of trials with antibiotics and anti-tuberculosis treatment for the preceeding four months, her symptoms did not improve. A subsequent chest radiograph showed non-homogeneous collapse-consolidation of right upper lobe. Videobronchoscopy revealed an inverted bag like structure in right upper lobe bronchus and rigid bronchoscopic removal with biopsy forceps confirmed the presence of a condom. Detailed retrospective history also confirmed accidental inhalation of the condom during fellatio.”

Photo: flickr/letmehearyousaydeskomdeskom

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NCBI ROFL: Morphing into Michael Jackson.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:00:47 +0000

It’s case study flashback week on NCBI ROFL! All this week we’ll be featuring some of our favorite medical case studies from the archives. Enjoy!

Mandibular angle augmentation with the use of distraction and homologous lyophilized cartilage in a case of morphing to Michael Jackson surgery.

“Correction of an ill-defined mandibular angle is not an easy task, whether it is requested by the “congenital, orthognathic or cosmetic” patient. Deliberate over-correction has not been reported to our knowledge. This article presents a combination of distraction osteogenesis and lyophilized cartilage used to three-dimensionally over-augment the mandibular angle of a long-face prognathic patient who had the wish to be morphed to Michael Jackson or at least as far as current technique and his endogenic features allowed.”

Photo: flickr/dalbera

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NCBI ROFL: Rectal salami.

ncbi rofl — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:00:53 +0000

It’s case study flashback week on NCBI ROFL! All this week we’ll be featuring some of our favorite medical case studies from the archives. Enjoy!

“We present the case of a 63-year-old man who had inserted a salami into his anal canal for sexual stimulation–the commonest reason for inserting foreign bodies–and who subsequently required a laparotomy for its removal. This common surgical problem requires a thorough medical history, an examination and the use of radiographs for management. Current techniques for removal of such objects are discussed.”

Photo: flickr/Jiang-Zekun

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NCBI ROFL: Managing the blue man.

ncbi rofl — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:00:18 +0000

It’s case study flashback week on NCBI ROFL! All this week we’ll be featuring some of our favorite medical case studies from the archives. Enjoy!

Managing the blue man: multiple traumas involving a paint-carrying truck.

“This report describes the difficulty in evaluating a patient with multiple traumas because he was covered with paint poured from a truck in a car accident. Cleansing with paint thinner and isotonic saline solution was necessary. A 29-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department following the collision of his car with a paint-carrying truck. His head, face, neck and hands were covered with a cyan-blue oil paint, and bloody “paint mud” covered all frontal and occipital areas of the scalp. Abdominal guarding was identified. A rapid cleansing with normal saline solution (0.9% NaCl) was attempted in order to expose the lesions of the patient, but it had no effect on the drying paint. The patient’s scalp, face and neck were cleaned with paint thinner (60% toluene). The patient was then diagnosed as having a maxillofacial fracture and underwent surgery for open reduction and rigid fixation by plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Thinner was not used for ...

NCBI ROFL: Termination of intractable hiccups with digital rectal massage.

ncbi rofl — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 23:00:21 +0000

It’s case study flashback week on NCBI ROFL! All this week we’ll be featuring some of our favorite medical case studies from the archives. Enjoy!

“A 60-year-old man with acute pancreatitis developed persistent hiccups after insertion of a nasogastric tube. Removal of the latter did not terminate the hiccups which had also been treated with different drugs, and several manoeuvres were attempted, but with no success.Digital rectal massage was then performed resulting in abrupt cessation of the hiccups. Recurrence of the hiccups occurred several hours later, and again, they were terminated immediately with digital rectal massage. No other recurrences were observed. This is the second reported case associating cessation of intractable hiccups with digital rectal massage. We suggest that this manoeuvre should be considered in cases of intractable hiccups before proceeding with pharmacological agents.”

Photo: flickr/peyri

NCBI ROFL: Horrified hot tub is horrified.

ncbi rofl — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 23:00:14 +0000

Bladder Perforation Associated with Hot Tub.

“ABSTRACT Introduction. Bladder perforation is a rare and life-threatening event. Timely diagnosis may prevent further injury-related morbidity and mortality. Aim. To present a case of bladder injury associated with masturbation in a hot tub. Methods. This report describes a case of bladder perforation in a 54-year-old female who presented to the emergency department 2 days after masturbation with a water jet. Results. Following percutaneous drainage and intraoperative closure of the bladder, the patient was discharged on postoperative day four and has had no sequelae. Conclusion. Cross-sectional imaging and cystography can facilitate immediate diagnosis and expeditious treatment of bladder injury associated with masturbation in a hot tub.”

Photo: flickr/Beige Alert

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NCBI ROFL: When your sweat turns red, maybe it’s time to eat less food coloring.

ncbi rofl — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 23:00:57 +0000

The case of the red lingerie – chromhidrosis revisited.

“Chromhidrosis or the production of coloured sweat is a rare clinical finding. A 26-year-old female presented with marked pink staining of her uniform and lingerie. Extractions of clothing, skin surface samples, eccrine sebum, urine and a fast food product were spectrophotometrically analysed to identify the pink staining pigment. Three water-soluble colouring agents have been identified. An eccrine route of excretion probably produced chromhidrosis. An overview is presented.”

Bonus quote from the full text: “A healthy 26-year-old nursing sister consulted our department with continuous pink to bright red staining of her white uniform following an 8- to 10-hour workday. This affliction has been noticeable for some 5 months after her annual leave. She had an uneventful previous medical history and denied taking any drugs, health foods or vitamin supplements in the 6 months prior to her consultation… A follow-up in-depth history produced confirmation of a 6-month fetish for a specific brand of tomato-flavoured prepacked fast foods. The patient admitted indulging in 500–2,500 g/week [1.1-5.5 pounds] over an extended period…It would therefore seem that a pink lipid- and ...

NCBI ROFL: The mystery of the bottle cap in the knee.

ncbi rofl — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:00:37 +0000

Arthroscopic removal of a plastic soft drink bottle cap in the knee: a case report.

“We report a rare case of late knee locking after an open knee injury in a polytrauma patient with a pelvic fracture and a contralateral femoral artery injury. Once the life and limb threatening injuries were addressed, debridement and washout of the knee wound was performed. X-rays and subsequent CT revealed only an undisplaced patella fracture. The patient presented 6 months later to a knee surgeon with recurrent locking. An arthroscopy was performed and a 10 mm plastic soft drink bottle cap was retrieved leading to the immediate resolution of symptoms without complications. Open knee injuries require thorough debridement washout and joint assessment. Late locking should raise the suspicion of an intra-articular loose or foreign body. Arthroscopy is an excellent first line tool in the diagnosis and late management of this unusual problem.”

Photo: flickr/Arria Belli

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NCBI ROFL: A foot needs a nipple like a fish needs a bicycle.

ncbi rofl — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 23:00:22 +0000

[Uncensored photo below]

Case report: Ectopic nipple on the sole of the foot, an unexplained anomaly.

“Supernumerary nipples are common congenital anomalies, most often occurring along the embryonic milk lines. We present a patient with an ectopic nipple on the foot. We are unable to explain the aetiology of this anomaly; however, several theories have been proposed.”

Bonus figures:

“The patient considered the lesion to be a cosmetic blemish and refused to have it excised. He was advised follow-up every 6-months or to seek consultation if any features of the nipple changed.”

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NCBI ROFL: Superglue in the ear double feature: pros and cons.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 23:00:29 +0000

A new technique for removing foreign bodies of the external auditory canal.

“Foreign bodies of the external auditory canal are a common and challenging problem. Several techniques have been described and utilized to remove the many objects placed in ears. The tightly wedged smooth round foreign body remains one of the most difficult to remove. A new method, using a cyanoacrylate adhesive (Super Glue) was used successfully to remove a soy bean in a 16-year-old male. The glue was placed on the blunt end of a cotton swab, which was then introduced into the canal to make contact with the bean. Removal was easy, safe, and effective. This procedure avoided the morbidity associated with many well known techniques, eg, the use of forceps, and may have prevented removal under general anesthesia.”

A novel approach to the removal of superglue from the ear.

“The ability of superglue (a cyanoacrylate adhesive) to bond strongly and quickly to skin presents considerable problems when it is inserted into the ear. A case of a patient who inadvertently self-administered Bostik superglue ...

NCBI ROFL: Morning breath odor: influence of treatments on sulfur gases.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 23:00:36 +0000

“We assessed the effects of several treatments on the concentrations of oral sulfur-containing gases, compounds thought to be responsible for morning breath. Upon awakening in the morning, healthy volunteers collected oral gas samples before and for eight hours after the following treatments: no treatment, brushing the teeth with toothpaste, brushing the tongue, rinsing with 5 mL of 3% hydrogen peroxide, breakfast ingestion, or swallowing two BreathAsure capsules. The gas samples were analyzed for sulfur-containing volatiles via gas chromatography. Baseline collections usually contained three sulfur gases: hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, and dimethylsulfide. The effectiveness of a treatment was determined via comparison of the areas under gas concentrations-time curves with and without treatment. Brushing the teeth or ingestion of BreathAsure had no apparent influence on the sulfur gases. Ingestion of breakfast and tongue brushing resulted in strong trends toward decreased sulfur gases. Hydrogen peroxide significantly reduced the sulfur gas concentrations for eight hours.”

Photography: Dr. Rachel

NCBI ROFL: No bra + Wringer washing machine = squished boob.

ncbi rofl — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:00:21 +0000

The Wringer washing machine: an unusual cause of breast trauma.

“A 66-year-old woman… …sustained a left-breast injury with a wringer washing machine. While manually feeding clothes through the rollers of her wringer washing machine, her left breast was drawn into the rollers when her blouse became entangled with the clothing she was wringing. The patient was not wearing a brassiere. Her husband immediately responded to her cries for help by disconnecting the electricity to the washing machine and pressing the emergency release for the rollers. This washing machine was immediately discarded.”

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NCBI ROFL: Self-surgery: not for the faint of heart.

ncbi rofl — Mon, 03 May 2010 23:00:20 +0000

Today’s ROFL isn’t exactly funny, but it is bizarre, awe-inspiring, and a little frightening. Here are three cases of DIY surgery. And we aren’t talking about removing an ingrown nail; these are major surgeries. Although the excerpts of each article are longer than our usual fare, they are definitely worth reading!

Auto-appendectomy in the Antarctic: case report

“The ship Ob, with the sixth Soviet Antarctic expedition on board, sailed from Leningrad on 5 November 1960. After 36 days at sea she decanted part of the expedition onto the ice shelf on the Princess Astrid Coast. Their task was to build a new Antarctic polar base inland at Schirmacher Oasis and overwinter there. After nine weeks, on 18 February 1961, the new base, called Novolazarevskaya, was opened…One of the expedition’s members was the 27 year old Leningrad surgeon Leonid Ivanovich Rogozov. He had interrupted a promising scholarly career and left on the expedition shortly before he was due to defend his dissertation on new methods of operating on cancer of the oesophagus. In the Antarctic he was first and foremost the team’s doctor, although he also served as the meteorologist and the ...

NCBI ROFL: Vacuum cleaner injury to penis: a common urologic problem?

ncbi rofl — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 22:00:59 +0000

“Erotic stimulation by the use of vacuum cleaners or electric brooms appears to be a common form of masturbation. Unfortunately, and contrary to apparent public appreciation, injury due to this form of autostimulation may not be unusual. Five cases of significant penile trauma resulting from this form of masturbation are presented, with a spectrum of severe injuries, including loss of the glans penis.”

Image: flickr/Nevada Tumbleweed

NCBI ROFL: Ants in your pants?

ncbi rofl — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:00:05 +0000

Transcultural sexology: formicophilia*, a newly named paraphilia in a young Buddhist male.

*The sexual interest in being crawled upon or nibbled by small insects, such as ants

“Children whose species-specific, juvenile sexual rehearsal play is thwarted or traumatized are at risk for developing a compensatory paraphilia. The case of a Buddhist male exemplifies the cross-cultural application of this principle. His syndrome, formicophilia, was endogenously generated without reference to or influence by commercial pornography. The complete causal explanation of paraphilia will require both a phylogenetic (phylismic) and an ontogenetic (life-history) component. The treatment of paraphilia may combine an antiandrogenic hormone with sexological counseling.”

Image: flickr/jurvetson

NCBI ROFL: My love for you has many layers, like the onion…that I put in your va-jay-jay.

ncbi rofl — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 23:00:48 +0000

An unusual case of vaginal tumour.

“A young unmarried woman aged 24 years, suffering from cancerophobia, came to the clinic in an acute anxiety state, convinced that she had a malignant growth, having, she stated, only that morning felt a hard lump in the vagina.

She was a well-nourished person and there was no history of loss of weight, menstrual iregularity, or vaginal discharge; nor was there any previous history of gynaecological or other relevant disorder. She did, however, exhibit signs of emotional distress with sweaty palms and tachycardia.

Examination.
A large, hard, smooth lump filed the vagina. On removal it was found to be a globular circumscribed object, possessing no capsule, and on section was seen to have a laminated structure (Figure). It was identified as a specimen of “liliaceaeoma” or an Allium cepa.

The encyclopaedia defines the Allium cepa as one of the family Liliaceae. It has been cultivated from ancient times and probably originated in Asia. The edible part is the bulb containing an acrid volatile oil, giving a strong flavour. The allium is a bienial, the common species producing a bulb in the first season and seeds in the second. The ...

NCBI ROFL: Attack of the belly button lint!

ncbi rofl — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:19 +0000

‘Lint ball’ omphalitis, a rare cause of umbilical discharge in an adult woman: a case report

“Umbilical discharge in adult is rare and is usually induced by foreign material, most commonly hair. Rarely, it may be due to embryonal anomalies. We are reporting an unusual case of umbilical discharge in adult secondary to an impacted lint ball… A 55-year-old obese woman presented with a 4-month history of hemorrhagic discharge from the umbilicus. Deep from the base of the umbilicus, a 0.8 cm gray-tan mass was removed that on microscopic examination revealed a lint ball. Conclusion: An impacted lint ball may be a rare cause of umbilical discharge in adult.”

Bonus quote from the full text of the paper:

“A 55-year-old obese white American woman of European descent presented with a 4-month history of slightly hemorrhagic discharge from her umbilicus. There was no history of fever, abdominal pain or any other systemic disease. Physical examination revealed a deep umbilicus with a barely visible opening. There was no redness, edema, or crusting of the periumbilical skin. The deeper aspect of the umbilicus was exposed by ...

NCBI ROFL: Nasal leech infestation: report of seven leeches and literature review.

ncbi rofl — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:23 +0000

“Nasal leech infestation rarely occurs in society today and it is usually reported as an anecdote. In this study, we present seven nasal leeches in six patients from 1984 to 2008… Four patients were less than 8 years old and two patients were older than 60 years old. All patients had spent time in rural streams 2 weeks to 2 months before the symptoms occurred. All of the seven leeches were removed smoothly and one leech migrated to the oropharynx during the operation. The length of the leeches ranged from 2 to 12 cm with an average length of 4.6 cm. Attention should be given to nasal leech infestation, especially in children and senior citizens who have visited rural streams and have been exposed to freshwater. One of our patients had two leeches lodged in his nasal cavities. Therefore, it is also important to re-examine both nasal cavities after the removal of one leech.”