[Spontaneous ruptures of the urinary bladder in the routine forensic examination]

This article analyses three cases of death following a spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder. One case is based on an extensive tamponade of the bladder eight days after a transurethral resection of the prostate gland. Two other cases of death by spontaneous rupture resulted from increased alcohol consumption. The paper presents an overview of pathomorphological findings such as the typical intraperitoneal rupture localisation at the posterior wall of the urinary bladder or bladder dome and the subsequent diagnosed causes of death. In addition predisposing (anamnestic) influencing factors such as chronic alcoholism are highlighted and their relevance for the clinical urologist and the forensic pathologist are discussed.