A South African husband who slipped his wedding ring over his penis ‘for erotic reasons’ had to have blood drained from his genitals after it swelled up and became trapped, it has emerged.

The 28-year-old, who lives north of Johannesburg, was taken to hospital by his mother in ‘severe pain’ after his penis turned blue.

He later admitted running the ring up his penis ‘on the recommendation of friends’, leaving it ‘severely constricted in the middle section’, according to the South African Medical Journal.

The ring was left so tight against the swelling that doctors were unable to cut it off with a surgical saw.

Instead, after sedating the agonised patient, they were forced to puncture the organ to drain the stored blood.

‘Multiple puncture aspirations were applied with a 20ml syringe and a pink needle. The oedema subsided and the ring was successfully removed,’ the SAMJ reported.

The man, from Limpopo Province, three hours north of Johannesburg, was treated with antibiotics and analgesia and was discharged after three days.

The SAMJ said penile strangulation is a rarely described medical emergency, but occasionally occurs on a worldwide basis.

It has been reported across all age groups.

There are no proper guidelines for treatment, and the academic journal advised that a doctor should decide on the best removal method depending on the case, the settings and the available equipment.