He is under the care of consultant urologist Haytham Elsakka, who says he has witnessed a rise in young patients whose bladders have been damaged by ketamine use. “Some of them are in their 30s, but most of them are 16 to 24,” says Dr Elsakka. Around half of young patients end up needing surgery, he adds. Other risks from recreational use include liver failure, damage to the urethra, incontinence and impotence.
