Undetected penetrating bladder injuries presenting as a spontaneously expulsed bullet during voiding: a rare entity and review of the literature. J Emerg Med 2013 Sep;45(3):e59-62
Date
05/30/2013Pubmed ID
23714330DOI
10.1016/j.jemermed.2013.03.039Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84883452523 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 3 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Patients presenting with a penetrating missile lodged in the pelvis are at risk for having a urinary tract injury. Once in the bladder, the missile can become impacted in the urethra, causing retention that requires extraction. Rarely, the missile can be expulsed spontaneously through the urethra.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the world literature regarding undetected penetrating bladder injuries presenting as spontaneously voided bullets and to contribute an additional case to the literature.
CASE REPORT: We present a case report of a 37-year-old man who sustained a gunshot wound to the right buttock, with an undetected urinary system injury and subsequent spontaneous voiding of a bullet.
CONCLUSION: There have been <10 cases reported in the literature of spontaneously expulsed bullets from the urethra, all of which were undetected injuries on initial presentation. Physicians should be aware of the potential for undetected urinary tract injuries in patients with penetrating missiles to the pelvis and understand the appropriate evaluation and management strategies for these injuries.
Author List
Kuy S, Somberg LB, Paul J, Brown N, Saving A, Codner PAAuthor
Allegra Saving MD Assistant Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultButtocks
Colon, Sigmoid
Foreign Bodies
Humans
Male
Peritonitis
Urinary Bladder
Wounds, Gunshot
