Unilateral anesthesia does not affect the incidence of urinary retention after low-dose spinal anesthesia for knee surgery.
We evaluated whether unilateral low-dose spinal anesthesia may reduce the likelihood of postoperative urinary retention. Forty patients scheduled for knee arthroscopy randomly received bilateral (n = 20) or unilateral (n = 20) spinal anesthesia with 6-mg hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5%. The incidence of urinary retention (>500 mL) assessed with an ultrasound device (Bladderscan) and subsequent temporary catherization was 7/20 patients in the bilateral versus 6/20 in the unilateral group (not significant). We concluded that unilateral low-dose spinal anesthesia does not further decrease the likelihood of urinary retention. Our results demonstrate the value and necessity of monitoring bladder volume postoperatively.
Voelckel
Wolfgang G
WG
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria. wolfgang.voelckel@auvi.at
Kirchmair
Lukas
L
Rehder
Peter
P
Garoscio
Ivo
I
Krappinger
Dietmar
D
Luger
Thomas J
TJ
D000368:Aged; D000758:Anesthesia; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods*; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*