Pharmacologic Management of Postoperative Urinary Retention

Abstract

Postoperative urinary retention (POUR)—the inability to spontaneously urinate after surgery despite a full bladder—is a common and potentially serious condition with a reported incidence of 5% to 70%. 1 Jackson J Davies P Leggett N et al. Systematic review of interventions for the prevention and treatment of postoperative urinary retention. BJS Open. 2019; 3: 11-23https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs5.50114 Crossref Scopus (25) Google Scholar , 2 Baldini G Bagry H Aprikian A Carli F. Postoperative urinary retention: anesthetic and perioperative considerations. Anesthesiology. 2009; 110: 1139-1157https://doi.org/10.1097/ALN.0b013e31819f7aea Crossref PubMed Scopus (420) Google Scholar , 3 Pomajzl AJ Siref LE. Post-op Urinary Retention. StatPearls, Treasure Island, FL2023 Google Scholar , 38 Baysden M Hein D Castillo S Tamsulosin for prevention of postoperative urinary retention: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2023; 80: 373-383https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/zxac349 Crossref Scopus (0) Google Scholar This extreme variability is due to differences in the patient populations studied, type of surgery performed, anesthesia technique utilized, and POUR definition applied. Although POUR can occur in patients of both genders, among all age groups, and after all surgery types, it is more frequent in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty, anorectal, hernia repair, lower urinary tract, and gynecologic procedures. 1 Jackson J Davies P Leggett N et al. Systematic review of interventions for the prevention and treatment of postoperative urinary retention. BJS Open. 2019; 3: 11-23https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs5.50114 Crossref Scopus (25) Google Scholar ,3 Pomajzl AJ Siref LE. Post-op Urinary Retention. StatPearls, Treasure Island, FL2023 Google Scholar