Pneumoperitoneum and peritonitis secondary to perforation of an infected bladder

Spontaneous urinary bladder rupture is a rare complication of urosepsis. Its co-occurrence with pneumoperitoneum is even more unusual.

A 73-year-old patient presented with acute retention with mild lower abdominal pain and difficulty with urinary voiding and cystitis. He was treated with bladder catheter and antibiotics. After one month, he suddenly developed peritonitis and shock. Pneumoperitoneum was observed on a chest x-ray. An emergent laparotomy was performed and a perforation of the bladder secondary to necrosis of part of the wall was found and resected. The patient recovered satisfactorily after the surgical intervention.

Spontaneous bladder rupture is a life-threatening condition that could be missed. Surgical intervention is mandatory to rule out other more probable causes of peritonitis and to manage the bladder perforation itself.

Pneumoperitoneum is rarely secondary to a bladder perforation. Immediate surgical intervention is required in order to avoid delays in treating any intra-abdominal condition including a bladder wall perforation.