eMedicine Specialties > Radiology > Genitourinary

Bladder, Trauma: Follow-up

Author: Daniel L Platter, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Jonathan P Vaccaro, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Radiology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital; Lawrence E Nelson, DO, Consulting Staff, Department of Surgery, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Marshfield Clinic
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Aug 12, 2008

Intervention

Currently, interventions are performed by the trauma surgeon or by the consulting urologist, and the treatment is often surgical. When an extraperitoneal rupture is present, a Foley catheter is placed and the patient is closely monitored, because most bladders heal without intervention. Passing a catheter should be avoided when a urethral injury is suggested, as described in this article. However, in the event of an intraperitoneal rupture, operative repair is required. Most other injuries, such as contusions, heal spontaneously.8,9,6

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • The failure to perform the tests is a pitfall.
  • Radiologic testing is very accurate when performed correctly; thus, the most common cause for error is failing to perform the tests.
  • Once hematuria or pelvic trauma is identified, cystography or operative exploration is imperative.
  • Placing a Foley catheter into a damaged urethra can prevent healing or cause a permanent stricture. Care must be taken to avoid this situation.
 


More on Bladder, Trauma

Overview: Bladder, Trauma
Imaging: Bladder, Trauma
Follow-up: Bladder, Trauma
Multimedia: Bladder, Trauma
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

bladder trauma, bladder injury, bladder pain, bladder rupture, bladder contusion, urinary tract injury, bladder symptoms, bladder injury in pelvic trauma, bladder insult, urologic injury in pelvic fractures

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Daniel L Platter, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center
Daniel L Platter, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Jonathan P Vaccaro, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor of Radiology, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Rhode Island Hospital
Jonathan P Vaccaro, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Radiology, American Medical Association, American Roentgen Ray Society, and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lawrence E Nelson, DO, Consulting Staff, Department of Surgery, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Marshfield Clinic
Lawrence E Nelson, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Neela Lamki, MD, Professor, Department of Radiology, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman; Adjunct Professor, Department of Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Bernard D Coombs, MB, ChB, PhD, Consulting Staff, Department of Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Hutt Valley District Health Board, New Zealand
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Joshua A Becker, MD, Professor, Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine
Joshua A Becker, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Society of Uroradiology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Robert M Krasny, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Radiology, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
Robert M Krasny, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Roentgen Ray Society and Radiological Society of North America
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Eugene C Lin, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology, University of Washington Medical School
Eugene C Lin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Nuclear Medicine, American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America, and Society of Nuclear Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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