Implantation of beads into the penile skin and its complications.

Embedding of beads into the penile skin was observed among 60 foreign workers in the employ of certain Saudi Arabian companies. The procedure had been performed by an unqualified person. They had undergone this procedure in order to increase sexual stimulation of the mate. Infection secondary to implantation procedure had occurred in only 2 cases, necessitating surgical treatment. The first patient was suffering from a penile abscess (one week) after embedding of an ivory bead. The second one was troubled by a painful erection (3 months) after embedding of three glass beads. The other 58 persons had had their implanted beads for varying periods of time, ranging from 3 months to 8 years, without complaint. They refused to have the beads removed. This abnormal procedure is considered to be a manifestation of a suppressed psycho-sexual neurosis.