Patient-controlled analgesia and postoperative urinary retention after open appendectomy

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Anesthesiology
• Urology

Background:

• Postoperative urinary retention (PUR) is a common complication following surgery.
• Identifying risk factors for PUR after appendectomy is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the risk factors associated with postoperative urinary retention following uncomplicated open appendectomy.
• To evaluate the impact of patient demographics, surgical factors, and analgesic methods on PUR incidence.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of 279 patients undergoing open appendectomy for acute appendicitis.
• Statistical analysis to identify significant associations between potential risk factors and PUR.
• Multivariate analysis to control for confounding variables.

Main Results:

• Patient age and postoperative analgesic administration were significantly associated with PUR.
• Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) was a significant independent risk factor for PUR, increasing likelihood by 13-fold.
• Gender, operative time, and perioperative fluid administration did not influence retention.

Conclusions:

• Patient age and PCA are key risk factors for postoperative urinary retention after open appendectomy.
• The use of PCA should be reconsidered and potentially avoided in patients undergoing open appendectomy to reduce the incidence of urinary retention.