# Retained Intravesical Needle Following Percutaneous Foley Balloon Puncture: A Rare but Preventable Iatrogenic Complication

## TL;DR

A rare medical error occurred when a needle broke and stayed in a patient's bladder during a catheter removal attempt, highlighting the need for standardized procedures.

## Contribution

Highlights a preventable complication in Foley catheter management and emphasizes the need for protocol-based approaches.

## Key findings

- A fractured needle was retained intravesically after a percutaneous Foley balloon puncture.
- Cystoscopy-guided retrieval successfully removed the metallic fragment.
- The case underscores the importance of specialist involvement in non-deflating Foley catheter situations.

## Abstract

Failure of the Foley catheter balloon deflation is often managed using bedside techniques that lack standardisation. We report the case of a 45-year-old man with cervical spinal cord injury who developed fever and reduced urine output following attempted Foley catheter removal at an outside hospital. During percutaneous balloon puncture, the needle fractured and was retained intravesically. Imaging confirmed the presence of a metallic fragment in the bladder. Cystoscopy-guided retrieval was successful. This rare but preventable complication of Foley catheter management emphasises the importance of protocol-based approaches and early specialist involvement when dealing with non-deflating Foley catheters.