Traumatic Urinary Bladder and Renal Artery Disruption with Kidney Salvage—A Case Report

Abstract

Motor vehicle accidents continue to cause thousands of life threatening injuries or mortality (nearly 45,000 deaths in 2021) in the United States. A sixteen year-old young man riding a motorcycle was severely injured when struck by an automobile driven by an individual under the influence of alcohol. Multiple long bone fractures, the left renal artery torn off the aorta, with non-function of the left kidney, urinary bladder rupture with cystourethral injury, thoracic aortic disruption, and splenic fracture injuries were present. Emergency repair of the thoracic aorta, splenectomy, and left renal artery bypass were all completed. Absorbable suture repair of the urinary bladder and cystouretheral junction injuries followed Foley and suprapubic bladder decompression. All long bone fractures were stabilized and corrected. Normal urinary function of the left kidney returned, and urinary bladder control accompanied the four-month recuperation. Six and twelve month follow-up showed almost normal mobility with normal bilateral renal and urinary bladder function.