title: Severe vaginal laceration in a 5-year-old girl caused by sudden hydro-distention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Severe vaginal trauma in young girls is uncommon. We describe a 5-year-old girl who presented a vaginal laceration following sudden hydro-distention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 5-year-old girl was transferred to our institution for vaginal trauma with severe bleeding. Her brother had directed the nozzle of a functioning garden hose against her vulva. She presented pain and persistent vaginal bleeding without external genital lesions. Surgical exploration revealed a laceration of the right vaginal wall. The vagina was sutured and the bleeding stopped.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case illustrates a rare mechanism of severe vaginal laceration, in a young girl, by hydro-distention. Though there are often no external lesions the internal lesions can be severe causing significant bleeding. Certainly in these cases aggressive diagnostic evaluation is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de La Réunion, Site Felix Guyon, Reunion Island, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berkenbaum
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Balu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sauvat
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montbrun
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D022125:Lacerations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000293:injuries*; D014867:Water / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Child; Hydro-distention; Vaginal trauma