title: A right scrotal abscess and foreign body ingestion in a schizophrenic patient.
abstract: A 38-year-old man with a history of schizophrenia presented with pain and swelling of his testicles, with the right side worse than the left. Physical examination was remarkable for a very firm, large, right-sided scrotal mass. Testicular ultrasound was suspicious for neoplasm or abscess. On the pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan, which was obtained as part of a metastatic cancer work-up, two metallic foreign bodies were identified in the pelvis. On further questioning, the patient admitted to ingesting the nails 2 days prior, in a suicide attempt. We review the evaluation of unilateral scrotal pain and swelling, and incidental foreign body ingestion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fry
authors.forename: Francis L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Counselman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004823:Epididymitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed