Management of acute retention of urine: a reappraisal

Our standard policy for the management of retention of urine due to prostatic hypertrophy is that the patient is catheterised and sent home, later to be seen and assessed in the Out-patient Department where he is given an admission date for operation. A detailed audit of 166 patients cared for in this way is presented and the results compared with those in 25 patients who remained in hospital in the interval between catheterisation and operation and in 402 patients not previously catheterised. Although the mortality rate was significantly higher in the retention group (3.3 vs 0.25%), we feel that this is a reflection of the fitness of the patients with retention rather than a consequence of the management policy. The advantages of the "catheterise and send home" policy are discussed.