Laparoscopy management for spontaneous bladder rupture: a case report

We present a case of a 79-year-old man with lower abdominal pain and negative Blumberg sign. An indwelling bladder catheter was inserted for urinary retention due to a tight phimosis 2 months earlier. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan revealed a huge gastrectasia and small bowel distention due to a suspected adherent bridle. The clinical signs and the laboratory tests were highly suspicious for bowel obstruction and emergency surgery was indicated. Exploratory laparoscopy showed a bladder hole tamponade by an ileum loop. The perforation was sutured laparoscopically and the patient was discharged on the 14th postoperative day. In our case, emergency laparoscopic exploration was useful for the diagnosis and the treatment of spontaneous bladder rupture. We hope this case report can be useful to give these patients better outcomes. Notably we would like to emphasize that the presence of a urinary catheter can be a risk factor for intraperitoneal bladder rupture.