Traumatic rupture of the intestine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Three young patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease were admitted to our hospital during the past year for extensive intestinal rupture caused by disproportionately minor trauma. There was almost no concomitant intra-abdominal injury. We believe that a minimal direct or acceleration/deceleration trauma to a preexisting diseased intestine might have caused extensive damage that was not apparent on admission. It was concluded that these patients should be carefully monitored and that their relative intestinal vulnerability should be borne in mind during diagnosis of and therapeutic planning for their condition.