Severe vaginal laceration in a 5-year-old girl caused by sudden hydro-distention

Severe vaginal trauma in young girls is uncommon. We describe a 5-year-old girl who presented a vaginal laceration following sudden hydro-distention.

A 5-year-old girl was transferred to our institution for vaginal trauma with severe bleeding. Her brother had directed the nozzle of a functioning garden hose against her vulva. She presented pain and persistent vaginal bleeding without external genital lesions. Surgical exploration revealed a laceration of the right vaginal wall. The vagina was sutured and the bleeding stopped.

This case illustrates a rare mechanism of severe vaginal laceration, in a young girl, by hydro-distention. Though there are often no external lesions the internal lesions can be severe causing significant bleeding. Certainly in these cases aggressive diagnostic evaluation is necessary.