Complication of a dorsal penile block: needle breakage and migration

We present a case where the hypodermic needle used to administer the local anaesthetic broke off from the plastic hub during the administration of a penile block in an adult and migrated 15 cm to the left groin. This prompted a review of the manufacturer’s technical data and biomechanical studies. On the basis of these, we recommend that utmost care be taken to maintain control of the needle during injection, particularly to prevent buckling forces that might lead to breakage.