Evaluation of the use of a specially designed saw to remove penis rings at the emergency department

OBJECTIVE: Penile strangulation is a rising problem in emergency departments (ED) and can cause serious medical issues. The removal of a penile ring requires immediate action, but is a difficult task. In this study an in-house specialised designed saw to safely remove penis rings is evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the use of the penis ring saw we used information from our maintenance management software to evaluate the amount of malfunctions. The evaluation of the experiences in the ED were based on semi-structured interviews with ED employees and with the mechanical engineers that developed and maintain the saw. RESULTS: Since 2013 seven jobs were found regarding to a defect of the saw. All defects were broken saw blades. Four emergency care department employees and two instrumentmakers were interviewed. All four are pleased with the saw, because it improves patient safety during removal of the penis ring. The two instrument makers agree with the ED nurses that the saw is an improvement compared to the previous used solutions. Possible improvements were also suggested. CONCLUSION: A specialized saw was designed and developed for the removal of penis rings. This saw offers a safe and standardized way to remove the penis rings.