The Patient Pathway for Men with Chronic Urinary Retention: Treatments, Complications, and Consequences

Objective: To explore the treatment options for chronic urinary retention (CUR) in men, including treatment-related complications and consequences.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included male patients diagnosed with a non-neurogenic, symptomatic and/or high-risk, CUR >150 mL in a large Dutch non-academic teaching hospital. Data for treatments, complications, and consequences (eg, diagnostics, additional treatments, and hospital contact) were recorded and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated.

Results: We enrolled 177 patients (median age, 77 years; range, 44-94) with a median follow-up of 68 months (range, 1-319) during which they had a median of 8 events (range, 1-51). Most patients initially received a urethral catheter (74%) and some form of catheterization as their final treatment (87%). Compared with non-surgical cases, catheterization was more likely to be stopped after de-obstructive prostate surgery (IRR, 4.18; P < 0.001). Urinary tract infection (IRR, 3.68; P < 0.001) and macroscopic hematuria (IRR, 5.35; P < 0.001) were more common with catheterization, but post-renal problems were more likely in patients with no catheterization (IRR, 25.36; P < 0.001). The lowest chance of complication was with clean intermittent catheterization, and complications were usually managed in outpatient (77%) or emergency (6%) departments, rather than by admission (17%).

Conclusion: Most patients require catheterization for CUR, with clean intermittent catheterization preferred due to its comparatively lower complication risk. De-obstructive prostate surgery increases the chance of stopping catheterization and may be considered in suitable cases.