Meningitis-Retention Syndrome After Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Case Report

A 59-year-old male, who had been hospitalized for 13 days due to a traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, presented with a fever > 38ºC two days after discharge. He also experienced urinary retention five days after discharge. A lumbar puncture was performed on the sixth day after discharge because his Kernig's sign became slightly positive. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed lymphocytic pleocytosis, while the etiological examination was negative. Finally, a diagnosis of meningitis-retention syndrome (MRS) was made. He was admitted to our department and received antiviral treatment for 14 days. He was discharged on the 23rd day, and the urinary catheter was removed about one month later. The patient's clinical course has remained uneventful 62 months after discharge. MRS is a para-infectious disease characterized by the combination of aseptic meningitis, cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, and acute urinary retention with no other neurological abnormalities. The actual prevalence of MRS is likely underestimated, making early diagnosis challenging. MRS should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with fever and urinary retention.