Urinary retention after elective cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND

There are few reports about urinary retention rate after elective cholecystectomy. We designed a prospective study to assess the problem.

METHODS

A total of 121 female and 19 male patients were included in the study with a prospective study protocol. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 107 patients and open cholecystectomy in 33 patients.

RESULTS

Neither gender nor age affected rate. Postoperative micturition difficulty developed in 10 patients. Of these patients, 9 could void with helping measures, and only 1 needed catheterization. Only 1 patient who underwent laparoscopic surgery required catheterization (0.7%). The open approach caused a higher incidence of postoperative micturition difficulty than did the laparoscopic approach (15.2% versus 4.7%; P = 0.04). Only large amounts of perioperative fluid administration and meperidine use had statistically significant effects on micturition problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Urinary retention is a rare complication after elective cholecystectomy. Helping measures are very effective and should be tried before inserting a urethral catheter.