Can your urethra tear

If the urethra is injured, a person may develop urethra obstructions or strictures. Urethral strictures occur when the urethra is injured or scarred by an infection and then narrows. As a result, problems with the normal passage of urine and semen can develop. Urethral injuries can have devastating long-term consequences, such as potential complications of impotence, stricture and incontinence. Injuries may affect either the anterior or posterior part of the urethra.

In most cases, anterior urethral trauma is characterized as a blunt injury to the perineum — the area between the genitals and anus — since the urethra is located near the skin in this area.

The most common problem after urethral repair is scarring in the urethra. The scars can partly block the urine flow, causing the stream to be weak. You may also have to strain to urinate. Your urologist can often fix this by widening the scarred section. This is done with instruments placed through the urethra.

Sometimes the surgery needs to be done again to keep the urethra open. If you had a pelvic fracture urethral injury, your urologist will arrange follow-up visits.

Surgery to fix the urethra rarely causes erectile dysfunction. But severe posterior injuries can also harm the delicate nerves that run beside the urethra deep within the body. These nerves send the signal to the penis to become erect for sex. About 5 out of 10 men who have urethral injuries from pelvic fractures will have some type of erectile dysfunction once they heal. This may range from very mild to full erectile dysfunction. But there are many ways to treat this.

A small number of patients 2 to 5 out of have problems with incontinence after having posterior urethral trauma fixed. This is thought to be caused by damage to the nerves that control the bladder outlet.

This damage is a result of the injury and not from the surgery. This web site has been optimized for user experience and security, therefore Internet Explorer IE is not a recommended browser. Thank you. Urology A-Z Urethral Trauma. What is Urethral Trauma? Urethral trauma is when the urethra is hurt by force. Urethral injury can also result from objects piercing the sex organs or pelvis.

Trauma to the urethra can allow urine to leak into the tissues around it. This can cause: Swelling Inflammation Infection Pain in the belly Other signs of urethral trauma are: Not being able to pass urine Urine building up in the bladder Blood in the urine " hematuria " For males, the most common sign of a problem is blood — even a drop — at the tip of the penis.

Trauma to the posterior urethra can be caused by pelvic fractures from: Car crashes Crush injuries Falls from very high heights Bullets or knives For females, urethral injuries can also be caused by sexual assault.

Urine leaking inside the body can cause: Swelling Inflammation Infection Scarring The treatment of a posterior urethral injury is very complicated. After Treatment. Frequently Asked Questions. Will I need further surgery after my operation for a posterior urethral injury?

Will the injury or the surgery cause problems with sex? Editorial team. Traumatic injury of the bladder and urethra Injury - bladder and urethra; Bruised bladder; Urethral injury; Bladder injury; Pelvic fracture; Urethral disruption; Bladder perforation.

The female and male urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra. The male and female urinary tracts are relatively the same except for the length of the urethra. Causes Types of bladder injuries include: Blunt trauma such as a blow to the body Penetrating wounds such as bullet or stab wounds The amount of injury to the bladder depends on: How full the bladder was at the time of injury What caused the injury Injury to the bladder due to trauma is not very common.

Other causes of bladder or urethra injury include: Surgeries of the pelvis or groin such as hernia repair and removal of the uterus. Tears, cuts, bruises, and other injuries to the urethra. Urethra is the tube that carries urine out of the body. This is most common in men. Straddle injuries. This injury may occur if there is direct force that injures the area behind the scrotum.

Deceleration injury. This injury may occur during a motor vehicle accident. Your bladder can get injured if it is full and you are wearing a seatbelt. Symptoms Some common symptoms are: Lower abdominal pain Abdominal tenderness Bruising at the site of injury Blood in the urine Bloody urethral discharge Difficulty beginning to urinate or inability to empty the bladder Leakage of urine Painful urination Pelvic pain Small, weak urine stream Abdominal distention or bloating Shock or internal bleeding may occur after a bladder injury.

Symptoms include: Decreased alertness , drowsiness , coma Increased heart rate Decrease in blood pressure Pale skin Sweating Skin that is cool to the touch If there is no or little urine released, there may be an increased risk for urinary tract infections UTI or kidney damage. Exams and Tests An exam of the genitals may show injury to the urethra. If the health care provider suspects an injury, you may have the following tests: Retrograde urethrogram an x-ray of the urethra using dye for injury of urethra Retrograde cystogram imaging of bladder for injury of bladder The exam may also show: Bladder injury or swollen distended bladder Other signs of pelvic injury, such as bruising over the penis, scrotum, and perineum Signs of hemorrhage or shock, including decreased blood pressure -- especially in cases of pelvic fracture Tenderness and bladder fullness when touched caused by urine retention Tender and unstable pelvic bones Urine in the abdominal cavity A catheter may be inserted once an injury of the urethra has been ruled out.

Treatment The goals of treatment are to: Control symptoms Drain the urine Repair the injury Prevent complications Emergency treatment of bleeding or shock may include: Blood transfusions Intravenous IV fluids Monitoring in the hospital Emergency surgery may be done to repair the injury and drain the urine from the abdominal cavity in case of extensive injury or peritonitis inflammation of the abdominal cavity.

Outlook Prognosis Injury of the bladder and urethra due to trauma can be minor or fatal. Possible Complications Some of the possible complications of injury of the bladder and urethra are: Bleeding, shock.

Blockage to the flow of urine. This causes the urine to back up and injure one or both kidneys. Scarring leading to blockage of the urethra.