Identification of the poor risk patient with "prostatism" and detrusor failure

Twenty-five patients with "prostatism" and chronic retention of urine have been followed up for 4 years to determine the natural history of the disorder and results of elective treatment. Twenty-one patients with low pressure during bladder filling maintained normal upper tracts and renal function; they were subdivided by micturition pressure into two groups which differed significantly in terms of both total bladder capacity and variance of capacity. Patients with good voiding pressures had a very satisfactory outcome following surgery, with almost complete relief of symptoms, but patients with poor voiding pressures obtained a poor symptomatic and urodynamic result from repeated surgical procedures. Four patients declined operation and the subsequent course of the disorder is described. Four patients had painless retention associated with high pressure bladder filling, hydronephrosis and uraemia. Operation was successful in reversing these potentially terminal complications. None of the 25 patients developed acute retention. Men with "prostatism" do not constitute a homogeneous population. Identification of specific patient groups enables an accurate prediction of the consequences of both conservative and operative management.