Spontaneous bladder rupture and cytomegalovirus infection complicating renal transplantation: cause or coincidence?

The high incidence of surgical complications following renal transplantation is well known. Urologic complications, however, present some of the most challenging problems to the transplant surgeon. The authors present here a detailed case report of spontaneous (delayed) bladder rupture (SDBR) which occurred 90 days after kidney transplantation in a recipient with cytomegalovirus infection (CMV). Urinary catheter drainage is recommended in preference to surgical intervention for the successful correction of SDBR. It is postulated further that, despite a negative bladder biopsy, CMV may have infiltrated the bladder and contributed to this "spontaneous" bladder wall rupture.