Bladder rupture due to urogenital tract trauma caused by ox horn injury in a patient with pelvic organ prolapse: a case report

Genitourinary tract trauma caused by ox horn injury in the presence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is an extremely rare phenomenon and associated with devastating morbidity.

A 50-year-old multiparous postmenopausal woman from rural northwest Ethiopia presented with the primary complaint of urinary incontinence 6 days after she suffered ox horn injury to her prolapsed genitalia. She had stage 3 pelvic organ prolapse with the leading point being the cervix. The anterior vaginal and posterior bladder walls were disrupted with visible draining of the left ureter. The wound was dirty and edematous with whitish discharge. She was admitted to the urogynecology ward and provided with wound care until the infection subsided. Apical prolapse suspension was performed using right sacrospinous fixation, and bladder repair was carried out 6 weeks following the prolapse suspension. She recovered well and was continent when discharged.

Ox horn injury involving the female lower urogenital tract in the presence of POP is extremely rare. Late presentation after sustaining injury is associated with increased risk of morbidity and long hospital stay, and treatment requires multistage surgery.