UK's Only Dedicated NHS Clinic Sees Children as Young as 13 With Ketamine Bladder Damage

Doctors running the United Kingdom's first and only dedicated NHS clinic for children with ketamine-related bladder damage say they are now treating patients as young as 13, underscoring the severity of the drug's physical toll on young users.

Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic that has become popular as a recreational drug, is known to cause a condition sometimes referred to as ketamine bladder or ketamine-induced cystitis. Heavy or prolonged use can damage the bladder lining, leading to pain, frequent urination, bleeding and, in severe cases, permanent scarring that impairs bladder function.

Describing the symptoms

Some young patients at the clinic have described their symptoms in graphic terms, including the sensation of passing tissue that one patient likened to "peeing a jellyfish," according to doctors involved in their care. The description points to the shedding of damaged bladder lining, a hallmark of advanced ketamine-related bladder injury.

The clinic's doctors say the cases they are seeing in children highlight a growing concern about ketamine use among younger age groups. Because the drug is relatively inexpensive and has developed a reputation in some circles as lower-risk than other substances, health professionals have warned that its physical harms are often underestimated by young users.

The NHS clinic's specialists are treating affected children directly, offering an early example of dedicated pediatric care for a condition that has historically been more associated with adult recreational users. The cases add to a broader public health conversation in the UK about rising ketamine use and the need for targeted interventions and awareness among young people.