Spontaneous Bladder Rupture After Binge Drinking

Spontaneous bladder rupture is a rare cause of the acute abdomen. Alcohol has been described as one of the most common causes of spontaneous bladder rupture. We present the case of a 42-year-old male who presented to our Level I Trauma Center complaining of abdominal pain and difficulty urinating after an evening of drinking. Initial workup revealed free air and fluid within the abdomen and a Foley catheter within the peritoneal cavity. He was taken to the operating room emergently for exploration and was found to have a bladder rupture that was repaired. Post-operatively he recovered without complication. The often missed or delayed diagnosis of spontaneous bladder ruptures can increase morbidity and mortality. It is important to keep spontaneous bladder rupture in the differential when evaluating a patient with abdominal pain.