Postoperative urinary retention: Part I--Overview and implications for the postanesthesia care unit nurse.

Postoperative urinary retention and resulting bladder distention are common complications following surgical procedures. The PACU nurse needs a thorough understanding of bladder distention, causes, and how to assess for signs and symptoms in the PACU patient. Unrelieved bladder distention can lead to discomfort and problems with micturation or chronic urinary retention. The anatomy of the bladder, causes and factors related to bladder distention, and methods with which the PACU nurse can assess and evaluate for bladder distention are presented.