Bladder or urethral injury

Damage to the urinary bladder (the organ that stores urine from the kidneys) or the urethra (the tube through which urine travels from the bladder to the outside). Due to its well-protected location, bladder injury is rare.

• Severe abdominal pain.
• Shock (sweating; faintness; nausea; panting; rapid pulse; pale, cold, moist skin).
• Painful urination or inability to urinate.
• Bloody discharge from the urethra.

Usually a pelvic-bone fracture that punctures the bladder or urethra.

• Excess alcohol consumption.
• Accident-proneness.
• Hazardous occupations.
• Hazardous driving conditions.
• Sexually abused children.

• Protect yourself from injury whenever possible.
• Buckle your automobile seat belt to minimize internal injury in case of accident.
• Don't drink and drive.

A punctured bladder or urethra requires emergency hospital treatment. Most cases heal with bed rest, time, supportive treatment or surgery.

• Internal bleeding.
• Urine leakage into the abdomen, causing abdominal inflammation or infection.
• Recurrent infections from scars in the urethra that narrow the urinary passage.

• Hospitalization; emergency care.
• X-rays of the urinary tract.
• Surgery to repair a punctured bladder (usually). A damaged urethra may heal without surgery.

• You have any symptoms of bladder or urethra injury.
• During or after treatment, you develop fever and chills.
• New, unexplained symptoms develop. Drugs used in treatment may produce side effects.