[Urinary retention in herpes zoster]

We report on 4 cases of transient neurogenic dysfunction of the urinary bladder caused by herpes zoster. All patients noticed a slow urinary stream leading to complete urinary retention and loss of sensation following the vesicular stage of herpes zoster, necessitating the insertion of a suprapubic tube. Urodynamic evaluations revealed a detrusor acontractility, cystoscopic findings included a unilateral cystitis. Symptoms and residual urine spontaneously disappeared after 2 to 3 weeks. The cause is a sacral meningo-radiculitis with herpes zoster virus leading to a transient neuromotoric paralysis of the urinary bladder.