Urinary Retention

Overview

Urinary retention is defined as the defect in emptying the bladder. Suffering from urinary retention means either unable to micturate, or able to start but unable to empty the bladder completely. Urinary retention may be sudden in onset or gradual in onset and chronic.

Signs and Symptoms

Acute: inability to urinate, painful, urgent need to urinate, pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen, bloating of the lower abdomen, Chronic: Increased urinary frequency, trouble beginning a urine stream,a weak or interrupted urine stream,an urgent need to urinate with little success when trying to urinate, feeling the need to urinate after finishing urination, mild and constant discomfort in the lower abdomen and urinary tract

Common Causes

Obstructive retention : cancer,kidney or bladder stones,enlarged prostate in men, Non obstructive retention : stroke,vaginal childbirth,pelvic injury or trauma,impaired muscle or nerve function due to medication or anaesthesia,accidents that injure the brain or spinal cord

Risk Factors

Bladder outlet obstruction, Urethral stricture, Urethritis, Phimosis, Retroverted gravid uterus, Blood clot, Urethral calculus, Neurogenic, Benign prostatic hyperplasia, Constipation, Rectocele, Cyctocele

Investigation Techniques

Physical examination, Postvoid residual measurement, Cystoscopy, Computerizedtomography (CT) scans, Urodynamic tests, Electromyography

Treatment and Prevention

Urinary drainage: urethral catheterisation, suprapubic puncture, optical urethrotomy (in urethral stricture), urethral stents, Prostate medication: in prostatic pathology, Surgery: prostate surgery, internal urethrotomy, cystocele and rectocele repair, Physical therapy: warm pack