Urinary Retention

Inability to pass urine

Aetiology

Men

  • BPH
  • Prostate cancer
  • Urethral stricture

Women (much less common)

  • Pelvic prolapse
  • Pelvic mass - gynae malignancy
  • Post-surgery for stress incontinence

Clinical presentation

  • Acute - painful, extreme urge, good renal function
    • Acute retention of urine - sudden, painful inability to pass urine, over 1/10 men in their 70s will experiene ARU within the next 5 years and the risk for men in their 80s is nearly 1/3
  • Chronic - painless, may not feel any difficulty, renal impairment high due to back pressure on the kidneys

Management

  • Immediate management - catheter
  • Manage underlying cause