Rare case of spontaneous rupture of a urinary bladder carcinoma causing intestinal obstruction and peritonitis

Abstract

Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder is a rare condition, especially due to squamous cell carcinoma. Less than 10 cases have been reported so far. The patient was a 30-year-old male presenting with difficulty passing urine, dribbling, dysuria and right loin pain of 4 days duration and constipation for 2 days. He then developed features of intestinal obstruction with peritonitis. Laparotomy revealed advanced urinary bladder carcinoma adherent to the ileum and urine in the peritoneal cavity. There was a perforation of the urinary bladder separate from the area of adherence. Palliative surgery was performed. Histopathology report was squamous cell carcinoma. The present case is being reported, as it is a diagnostic dilemma and is a rare condition, this being only the seventh case reported in the literature. The mortality rate is high and even though the patient had postoperative problems, he survived.