Bowel entrapment within pelvic fractures: a case report and review of the literature

Bowel entrapment within a pelvic fracture is a rarely reported but potentially fatal complication. Diagnosis is often delayed due to difficulty in differentiating entrapment from the more common adynamic ileus. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis with enteric contrast can be useful in making the diagnosis. We report an unusual case of bowel entrapment within a pelvic fracture presenting as a colocutaneous fistula in a patient with no prior symptoms that suggested a bowel injury. This report expands the realm of presentation of this rare occult bowel injury.