Spontaneous bladder rupture: rare cause of peritonitis.
Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder is an uncommon, but important, cause of generalized peritonitis. It is a surgical emergency which may be rapidly fatal if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Bladder disease or obstruction, coupled with a sudden increase in intra-abdominal pressure usually accounts for the rupture. Characteristic symptoms are acute lower abdominal pain followed by generalized peritonitis. In most cases, the rupture is intra-peritoneal.
D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology*; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis