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Case Reports
. 2024 Feb 4;10(1):20551169231219067.
doi: 10.1177/20551169231219067. eCollection 2024 Jan-Jun.

Urethral entrapment by an overlapping dislocation of the pubic symphysis in a cat

Tiffany Pereira  1 , Julie Besson  1 , Delphine N Rault  1 , Tiare Delaune  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Urethral entrapment by an overlapping dislocation of the pubic symphysis in a cat

Tiffany Pereira et al. JFMS Open Rep. .

Abstract

Case summary: A 1-year-old neutered male domestic shorthair cat was referred with suspected uroperitoneum. Ultrasonography showed peritoneal effusion. CT further revealed a bilateral sacroiliac joint disruption associated with an overlapped dislocation of the pubic symphysis, resulting in an abnormal trajectory of the urethra with extramural urethral compression. An open reduction and internal fixation of the pubis with correction of the urethral trajectory was performed under general anaesthesia. The uroperitoneum was determined to originate from a cystocentesis.

Relevance and novel information: This report describes an unusual case of urethral obstruction secondary to overlapping dislocation of the pubic symphysis with urethral entrapment and concurrent bilateral sacroiliac luxation. To the authors' knowledge, acute urethral obstruction owing to fractures of the pubis, without urethral laceration, has never been described.

Keywords: Pelvic trauma; positive retrograde CT urography; pubic dislocation; urethral obstruction; uroperitoneum.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Positive-contrast retrograde urethrography sagittal multiplanar MIP CT reformatted image of the abdomen. WW = 2500, WL = 250. A = urinary bladder; B = free peritoneal contrast medium; C = urethra; D = avulsion fragment of the prepubic tendon; E = left hemipelvis; F = urethral pinching between both hemipelves overlap; G = right hemipelvis. Note the tortuous route of the urethra. MIP = minimum intensity projection; WL = window level; WW = window width
Figure 2
Figure 2
Three-dimensional CT reformatted image of the pelvic region. WW = 255, WL = 127. The urethra (outlined by the arrowheads) is seen passing ventrally to the right pubic bone and dorsally to the left pubic bone where both bony segments overlap, before resuming its normal course caudally. A = right ischiatic table; B = left ischiatic table; WL = window level; WW = window width
Figure 3
Figure 3
The cystocentesis puncture through which urine leaked can be seen on the ventral aspect of the bladder
Figure 4
Figure 4
The urethra (outlined by the arrowheads and the haemostat) can be seen emerging from the caudal abdomen, passing ventrally to the right pubic bone and dorsally to the left pubic bone (*)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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