title: Acute abdomen--remember spontaneous perforation of the urinary bladder.
abstract: Spontaneous perforation of the urinary bladder is a rare clinical condition presenting as an acute abdomen. It should be suspected in patients with a past history of radiotherapy to the pelvis, enterocystoplasty and those suspected of having a tumour in the bladder. Disproportionately elevated serum urea and creatinine should raise the index of suspicion. A case of spontaneous perforation of the bladder, five years following successful treatment of a bladder tumour by radiotherapy, is reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Wansbeck General Hospital, Ashington, Northumberland, UK. raj@dbasavaraj.freeserve.co.uk
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Basavaraj
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Zachariah
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Feggetter
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003558:Cystoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D014546:Urinary Catheterization
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents