Article Text
Abstract
A 14-year-old girl, a rear seat passenger on a jet-ski not wearing suitable protective gear, was ‘jumping’ waves at a low velocity when she was ejected backwards off the vehicle, suffering a complex and unusual hydrostatic perineal injury as a result of the high-pressure water stream propelling the jet-ski. She presented to the emergency room with rectal bleeding and perineal and abdominal pain. Initial investigations revealed signs of anorectal injury and both intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal free air and fluid, suggesting a possible rectal perforation. Proctoscopy confirmed the primary diagnosis and exploratory laparotomy revealed an intraperitoneal tear in the rectal wall. The tear was repaired, and protective loop colostomy was performed. Initial results of anal manometry, transrectal ultrasound and anal electromyography were unfavourable. However, 17 months after pelvic floor physiotherapy and biofeedback, the colostomy was reversed, and her continence has returned to her normal (preinjury) state.
- paediatric intensive care
- accidents
- injuries
- general surgery
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Footnotes
Contributors AL wrote the manuscript and drew figure 3. DN, AV and IW revised for intellectual content and provided clinical images. All authors read and approved the uploaded version of the manuscript.
Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Competing interests None declared.
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.