Urinary Retention in Surgical Patients

Abstract

Urinary retention is an important and potentially avoidable postoperative complication. Identifying risk factors for retention is important given expedient bladder decompression is important for long-term outcomes. Age, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and lower urinary tract symptoms are patient factors that predispose to retention. Surgery-related factors include operative time, intravenous fluid administration, type of anesthesia, and procedure type. The mainstay for treatment in the acute setting is Foley catheter placement. Starting alpha-blockers in men is also indicated as they increase voiding trial success. Long-term solutions for chronic retention include a variety of surgeries, with transurethral prostatectomy as the gold standard.

Keywords: Bladder function; Postoperative; Surgery; Urinary retention.