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Accidental Injuries to the Urinary Bladder: Enugu Experience.


Aloy E. Aghaji
Fred O. Ugwumba

Abstract

Aim: To study the aetiology, mode of presentation and treatment outcome of accidental bladder injuries in Enugu.

Patients and Methods: All patients who were admitted alive to two health institutions in Enugu metropolis – University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital and JAMA Urological Clinic, between January 1993 and December 2002 (10years) were included. Records of all these patients were studied.

Results: One hundred and twenty five (125) patients were seen during the study period. The age range was 14-76 years (mean 34.5years). Sixty-six (52.8%) were male while 59 (47.2%) were female. External trauma accounted for majority of cases in males (80.3%) with blunt trauma accounting for 83.0% of these. Iatrogenic injuries accounted for majority of cases in female (6.8.0%) with gynaecological injuries accounting for 85.0% of these. Spontaneous bladder rupture occurred in 8(6.4%) patients and all were intraperitoneal. All the patients were seen within 48hours of the offending injury. Diagnosis was made clinically in most instances. A few patients had intravenous urography (IVU) cystography or abdominal ultrasound. After resuscitation, repair of the bladder was in two layers with urethral catheter drainage of the bladder and wound drainage. One of the patients with spontaneous rupture died 72 hours post-operatively. All the other patients survived.

Conclusion:Accidental injury to the bladder is not uncommon. Open
gynaecological procedures are the commonest cause in females, while blunt
trauma is the commonest in males. Diagnosis can be made clinically and prompt intervention is life saving.


Key words: Urinary Bladder, Accidental Injuries, Enugu.


[Jnl College Medicine Vol 8(1) 2003: 63-65]

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eISSN: 1118-2601