Acute urinary retention in pediatric cerebral palsy: Is there an optimal management strategy?

Cerebral palsy (CP) patients commonly have lower urinary tract dysfunction. Urinary retention (UR), which has been associated with dysfunctional voiding in CP can correlate to chronic upper tract dysfunction. We sought to provide insight into the pediatric presentation of acute UR in patients with CP and subsequent outcomes in this at-risk population.

All children with perinatally acquired CP presenting to a regional health network were identified from 2009 to 2019. Retrospective analysis of a hospitalized subset concurrently diagnosed with a first episode of acute UR was performed. Factors associated with new-onset UR are described, as well as management. Using follow-up data, we also assessed the risk for recurrent UR and/or abnormal renal imaging after an initial UR presentation.

3404 CP patients were analyzed with only 33 fulfilling inclusion criteria. Median age was 10(IQR 7.5-16; range 1-22) years, 87.9% were GMFCS-V. 39.4% had a reported history of decreased urinary frequency. At presentation, median maximal time without void prior to catheterization was 13 h, and catheterized volume was a median 120% expected capacity-for-age. 84.8% of presentations were associated with a known transient/reversible etiology. 51.5% were post-anesthesia at median 3.5 days, 33.3% had associated constipation, 30.3% had received exacerbating medications. 11/33 were taught clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) after the initial presentation (all pro re nata [PRN] except one). At a median follow-up of 37 months: 50% of those without a CIC PRN no void plan had a repeat episode, at a median of 10.8 months later. Of the patients who had follow-up renal imaging at a median 22.0 months after presentation, 45% had abnormalities: 7 with debris or suspected stones and 2 with collecting system dilation. No factors associated with the initial UR presentation were found to be significantly predictive of recurrence or abnormal follow-up imaging.

Patients with CP presenting with acute UR are often those with the most severe limitations and have a history of decreased urinary frequency. They usually have transient or reversible factors associated with UR presentation, however UR recurrence and abnormal imaging in this population subset is common.

Pediatric patients with CP who present with acute UR usually present in the context of recent anesthesia and in the setting of exacerbating factors. They are at risk for recurrence and may be best managed with caretaker education of CIC PRN no void to address recurrent episodes. Providers should consider surveillance of these patients for the development of abnormal renal imaging.