All males: Beware the penis fly trap

It's a subject guaranteed to make any man wince.

But for those unfortunate enough to have experienced the pain of getting their private bits caught in the zipper of their pants, there is one small consolation - they're not alone.

The Accident Compensation Corporation estimates there have been at least five dozen successful injury claims since July 2000 from men who have needed medical attention for "penis entrapment". For relatively minor injuries, the claims were for medical fees, but some of the cases were so serious the victims needed time off work to recover.

ACC says it's likely such injuries are under-reported. And St John ambulance staff say it is "not uncommon" for them to get calls for help in such situations.

However, it can be acutely embarrassing for the victim, as Herald on Sunday reporter Amanda Cameron discovered when she spent a night on the town with St John staff.