Urinary complications following pelvic injury.

Urinary complications following pelvic injury require the appropriate initi al treatment. The present study involves 27 patients who presented with the following lesions: bladder contusion (n = 5), bladder rupture (n = 2), par tial rupture of the urethra (n = 4), and complete rupture of the urethra (n = 18). We have reported on two cases of bifocal rupture of the urethra, an d three cases of urethral rupture, in the case of urethral lesions that wer e detected early on, treatment was by urethrography (n = 13), and in the ca ses detected at a later date, by internal urethrotomy (n = 3). A sub-perito neal bladder rupture was treated in one case by breach suture. The morbidit y rate amounted to 18%, and the mortality rate totalled 14% as a result of polytraumatism. It is considered that a precise diagnosis, a detailed asses sment of urinary lesions, and carefully performed procedures during intensi ve care are the best means of guaranteeing good recovery of urinary or geni tal function in the lower urinary tract. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.