Straddle injuries are most likely to injure which urethral segment?

• A. Posterior urethra
• B. Ureter
• C. Bulbar (anterior) urethra
• D. Bladder neck

Answer: (C)

Straddle injuries crush the perineum against the pubic bone, so the urethra is most likely to rupture where it is fixed in the anterior urethra as it passes through the perineal region. The bulbar (anterior) urethra sits in this vulnerable area and is the segment most exposed to this blunt, perineal impact. In contrast, posterior urethral injuries—at the membranous or prostatic levels—tend to come from pelvic fractures with traction forces, not from straddle trauma. Ureter and bladder neck injuries are not typical mechanisms for straddle injuries. So the bulbar (anterior) urethra is the most likely injured segment.