title: [Acute urinary retention: a few simple rules for a successful catheterization].
abstract: Acute urinary retention is a common emergency condition in elderly men. Transurethral and suprapubic catheterization are easy and safe procedures provided that a few simple rules are followed. Primarily, a transurethral catheter is placed if there is no urethral injury or stricture. Local anaesthesia of the urethra up to the sphincter region and a well-stretched penis warrant an atraumatic insertion of the catheter into the bladder. The use of a thick catheter with a round tip or of a catheter with a bended tip under rectal guidance facilitate the insertion of the catheter in difficult conditions. Alternatively, a suprapubic catheterization can be performed provided that no contraindication such as history or suspicion of transitional cell carcinoma is present. Optimal interventional conditions using ultrasound-guidance are mandatory in patients after abdominal surgery and with hemorrhagic diathesis in view of a safe and straight-forward placement of the suprapubic catheterization. In case of persistent bleeding after insertion of a suprapubic catheter, the suprapubic catheter should be replaced by one with a balloon blocked and kept under tension for several minutes.
authors.affiliation: Urologische Universitätsklinik, Inselspital, Bern.
authors.forename: Frédéric D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Birkhäuser
authors.affiliation: Urologische Universitätsklinik, Inselspital, Bern.
authors.forename: Urs E
authors.initials: UE
authors.lastname: Studer
mesh_terms: D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D003559:Cystostomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*