What are urogenital traumas?
Trauma is an injury to an organ or tissue due to external actions or causes. Urogenital trauma refers to injuries to the genital and/or urinary tract. In this case, the organ that is most frequently injured is the kidney, followed by the bladder, urethra, testicles and ureters.
There are two types of urogenital trauma. On the one hand, there are the so-called blunt traumas, which are the most common, and which include traumas caused by falls from heights, traffic accidents, sports injuries and direct blows to the external genitalia. On the other hand, there are open traumas, mainly caused by knife or firearm wounds and abdominal surgery.
Traffic accidents are one of the main causes of urogenital trauma.
Prognosis of the disease
Most urogenital traumas are not immediately life threatening, but if left untreated they can lead to high morbidity over time.
The main problem with these traumas is that since they are internal and often do not present external signs, they are not correctly diagnosed at the time of the trauma and develop health problems such as bleeding, abscesses, pyelonephritis, stones or hypertension, among others.
Urogenital trauma symptoms
Symptoms of urogenital trauma can vary depending on the organs and tissues affected, but some of the most common symptoms are:
- Pain in the side or abdomen.
- Bleeding during urination
- Abdominal distention
- Nausea and vomiting
Medical tests for urogenital trauma
When the patient is received in the emergency department due to an accident, fall or severe injury, an emergency assessment of the patient’s state of health is performed, identifying those pathologies that pose an urgent risk to the patient’s health. As this assessment progresses, the diagnosis of urogenital trauma can be addressed.
Imaging tests are the most effective in detecting urogenital trauma, since they usually require the exploration of the internal structures of the body. Thus, the most frequently used tests are abdominal CT, pyelography, ultrasound and arteriography. The choice of diagnostic test will also depend on the symptoms and the organs and tissues likely to be affected.
What are the causes of urogenital trauma?
Most urogenital injuries occur in traffic accidents, which account for about half of the closed urogenital injuries, followed by occupational accidents and sports injuries.
The least frequent are the so-called open urogenital traumas, which are caused by stab wounds or abdominal surgeries, but represent a very small percentage.
Can they be prevented?
The only way to prevent urogenital trauma is to prevent the causes that provoke them, and therefore to avoid accidents, falls and strong blows. It is also recommended to make use of safety measures, such as seat belts when driving, or approved protections when practicing contact sports.
Treatments for urogenital traumas
Treatment will be established according to the organs and tissues affected, some of the most common are:
Renal trauma: in many cases it can be resolved by conservative treatment, with measures such as absolute rest, a bladder catheter to drain hematuria and anitbiotics or other drugs. In more severe cases surgery may be necessary, such as reconstruction of the kidney or part of it.
Urethral trauma: in cases of urethral involvement or damage, it should be treated immediately if possible. Surgery will usually be necessary, although in less severe cases it can be solved by the implantation of a catheter.
Which specialist treats them?
The urologist is usually the specialist who will treat urogenital trauma.