[The diagnosis and treatment of closed bladder injuries]

Blunt bladder injuries occupy a particular place among the problems of modern emergency urology. Regardless of their rarity, recognition of this type of traumatic injury is of exceptional importance for the urologist in his efforts to establish precise diagnosis and undertake rational treatment. Comprehensive knowledge is necessary both of the nature of the trauma and of its duration and the changes occurring in the damaged tissues in the different stages of treatment. The diversity of the clinical pattern prompts thorough and purposely carried out investigations in a strictly defined order, to reach at exact diagnosis and provide effective treatment. Analysis is made of 45 patients treated over a period of 38 years, and the most common diagnostic and therapeutic errors are pointed out. Recommendations are given on the order of diagnostic studies and the extent of operative intervention, conformed to the factor time and other conditions. Inferences are also made.