Investigation of Patients with Spontaneous Rupture of the Urinary Bladder

Non-traumatic rupture of the urinary bladder is termed “spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder”. Although this disorder is relatively rare, when the bladder ruptures into the abdominal cavity, urine leaking into the abdominal cavity leads to the development of urinary peritonitis. We encountered seven patients with spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder at our institution between 1987 and 2012. Six of these patients were women, all of whom had undergone surgery and radiotherapy to treat malignant uterine tumor. All seven patients suddenly developed abdominal pain and ascites. Urea nitrogen (UN) and creatinine (Cre) levels were greater in ascites than in the blood in all patients. Although all patients were treated conservatively, recurrence was identified in three patients. Recurrence was observed in only one of the four patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Conclusion: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be effective for recurrence of spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder.