Generalized Peritonitis Secondary to Spontaneous Rupture of the Urinary Bladder

Abstract

A spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder (SRUB) is an exceedingly rare surgical emergency that might be misdiagnosed, resulting in a high mortality risk. Clinicians should be mindful that secondary peritonitis can occur as a result of a ruptured urinary bladder, which is frequently misdiagnosed and undertreated. The majority of cases are identified during laparotomy. We report a case of a 70-year-old woman who had irradiation for endometrial cancer 25 years ago and had a history of hypertension, diabetes, and recurring urinary tract infections. The current study sought to determine the etiology of SRUB as well as clinical aspects and diagnostic strategies. She was diagnosed with generalized peritonitis. An exploratory laparotomy discovered a perforated urinary bladder. Following further care, the patient was released with no further complaints.

Keywords: catheter; exploratory laparotomy; generalized peritonitis; radiotherapy; spontaneous urinary bladder rupture; urinary tract infection.

Figure 1. CT scan image revealed an intra-abdominal free fluid (yellow arrow).

Figure 2. Operative photos showing the bladder rupture (blue arrow in images A and B ), and the Foley catheter balloon floating in the peritoneal cavity (yellow arrow in image A).