Case Series: Vaginal Rupture Injuries after Sexual Assault in Children and Adolescents

Background: Vaginal rupture after sexual assault is a rare but life-threatening occurrence requiring prompt recognition and treatment. Herein, we describe four such cases in children. Our purposes are to increase clinicians' awareness of the physical trauma that a sexual abuse victim can suffer and increase recognition that these victims require immediate trauma services. Cases: Each patient had obvious hymenal and vaginal lacerations with a vaginal apical rupture injury and secondary acute blood loss. None of the four victims sustained infectious sequelae. Summary and Conclusion: Providers should have a low threshold for managing sexual abuse victims as trauma cases when they have obvious hymenal and vaginal lacerations and genital bleeding, proceeding expeditiously to examination using general anesthesia when appropriate.