injuries and poisoning
Bladder Injuries
Treatment of Bladder Injuries
Catheterization to drain bladder Sometimes surgery Minor bladder injuries, either bruises or select small tears (lacerations), may be treated by inserting a catheter into the urethra for 5 to 10 days. The catheter continuously drains urine so the bladder does not fill up, which makes it easier for the bladder to heal. For more extensive bladder injuries or any injury resulting in leakage of urine into the abdominal cavity, surgery should be done to determine the extent of the injury and to repair all tears. The urine can then be more effectively drained from the bladder using one or, rarely, two catheters. The catheters are inserted through the urethra (a transurethral catheter) and/or directly into the bladder through the skin over the lower abdomen (a suprapubic catheter). These catheters are removed in 7 to 10 days or once the bladder has healed satisfactorily. If complications develop, they must be treated. When a bladder injury is recognized during a surgical procedure, it should be treated at that time. 