Liverpool Kids Battle Ketamine Bladder Crisis

A groundbreaking NHS clinic in Liverpool is addressing a growing crisis of ketamine-induced bladder damage in young people. Medics at Alder Hey children's hospital have established the UK's first specialist facility to treat adolescents, aged primarily 14-15, who are suffering severe urological issues from ketamine use. Some patients, who may have started using the drug as early as 12 years old, experience such urgency to urinate that they use incontinence pads or buckets beside their beds, fearing the pain and difficulty of reaching a bathroom.

Excessive ketamine consumption damages the bladder's lining and muscle tissue, causing inflammation and reducing its capacity. This can lead to frequent, urgent urination, and in severe cases, necessitate bladder removal or cause kidney problems. Consultant paediatric urologist Harriet Corbett stresses the urgency, stating that stopping use can "save themselves a miserable life of medical interventions" before irreversible damage occurs. The clinic aims to intervene early, as some young people even turn to ketamine to alleviate the pain caused by their bladder issues, creating a dangerous cycle.

While official data from a 2023 NHS England survey indicates 0.9% of 15-year-olds have used ketamine, medical professionals fear the actual numbers are higher. Many GPs and paediatricians lack the experience to connect non-specific symptoms like tummy pain to ketamine use. The clinic's co-director, Prof. Rachel Isba, notes that young people may use ketamine socially, for a "break from their busy brain," but can develop addictions, often linked to childhood trauma or neurodivergence like ADHD. Understanding these underlying reasons is key to offering rehabilitation and support.