Korean J Leg Med.  2007 May;31(1):108-112.

A Death caused by Increased Intraabdominal Pressure due to Spontaneous Intraperitoneal Bladder Rupture

• Kim HJ
• Yang KM
• Kim YS
• Kwon TJ
• Seo JS

Abstract

A 45-year-old female with psychosis complained urological symptom of urinary incontinence and voiding difficulty with abdominal pains and expansion during her psychiatric hospitalization and suddenly collapsed at the 14th day of the admission. At autopsy, the urinary bladder showed a focal perforation and the abdominal cavity was filled with massive urinary ascites. The both lower lobes and the right upper lobe of the lung were accompanied by atelectasis. The death mechanism of this case could be explained that an increased abdominal pressure produced by massive uroperitoneum with spontaneous bladder rupture led to respiratory failure. The so-called abdominal compartment syndrome was manifested by massive uroperitoneum and caused a death. This would be the first forensic medical case that an undiagnosed spontaneous bladder rupture resulted in death of a psychiatric illness patient.

Keyword

spontaneous bladder rupture; uroperitoneum; increased intraabdominal pressure; atelectasis; abdominal compartment syndrome

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Cavity
Abdominal Pain
Ascites
Autopsy
Female
Hospitalization
Humans
Intra-Abdominal Hypertension
Lung
Middle Aged
Psychotic Disorders
Pulmonary Atelectasis
Respiratory Insufficiency
Rupture*
Urinary Bladder*
Urinary Incontinence