Chronic Urinary Retention Flashcards
What is chronic urinary retention?
Incomplete emptying of the bladder occurring over a prolonged period of time
How much can the bladder hold in chronic urinary retention?
4-5 litres
What is chronic urinary retention usually due to?
Bladder outflow obstruction
What type of symptoms do you get with chronic urinary retention?
Lower urinary tract symptoms
How does chronic urinary retention usually present?
- Poor flow
- Hesitancy
- Terminal dribbling
- Incomplete emptying
- Frequency
- Urgency
- Nocturia
What are the possible causes of chronic urinary retention?
- BPH
- Prostate cancer
- Drugs
What drugs can cause chronic urinary retention?
Anticholinergics
Antihistamine
Antispasmodics
What would you find on investigation of chronic urinary retention?
- Painless, palpable, percussable bladder
- Lower urinary tract symptoms
- > 1L urine in the bladder
What is the management of chronic urinary retention?
Decompression with catheter
What might happen due to decompression?
Decompression haematuria
What might you see with decompression haematuria?
Pink urine
What is the management of decompression haematuria?
There is no management
What are the characteristics of chronic high pressure haematuria?
Impaired renal function- Creatinine more than 120
Bilateral hydronephrosis- seen on US KUB
What does chronic low pressure haematuria not have?
Impaired renal function
Bilateral hydronephrosis
