Combined intra- and extraperitoneal urinary bladder rupture - a rare seat-belt injury: A case report

While isolated traumatic urinary bladder injuries are rare, combined intra- and extraperitoneal traumatic urinary bladder ruptures without an underlying fracture are an absolute rarity.

We report a case of combined intra- and extraperitoneal urinary bladder rupture without an underlying fracture resulting from blunt abdominal trauma during a high velocity car accident. A midline laparotomy was performed, and the intra- and extraperitoneal bladder ruptures were surgically treated.

Based on the presented case the anatomical peculiarities of the urinary bladder and the different trauma mechanisms as well as the resulting lesions, the diagnostic modalities and the treatment options are discussed.

Despite the rarity of traumatic urinary bladder injuries, and especially in the absence of an underlying fracture, physicians should maintain a high level of suspicion for urologic injuries in the presence of nonspecific lower abdominal pain, gross haematuria and the inability to urinate.