Spontaneous Rupture of the Urinary Collecting System During Computed Tomography Scan

Abstract

Spontaneous rupture of the urinary tract is a rare entity. It probably occurs due to increased pressure in the urinary tract and usually is associated with obstructive factors. We report a case of a patient who presented rupture of the upper urinary tract during computed tomography without any associated obstructive factor. We believe that this happened due to the distension of the urinary system in function of contrast infusion. Our case is interesting because of the unusual etiology of this clinical entity and alerts us to the risk of high intraluminal pressures during urological endoscopic procedures and image exams. In addition, curiously the patient presented spontaneous resolution without performing the treatment suggested in the literature, which is the placement of a double-J catheter.