What is acute urinary retention?

A man with acute urinary retention can't urinate at all. A medical emergency that can lead to kidney failure, acute urinary retention requires the insertion of a catheter to drain urine from the bladder. This condition is different from being unable to completely empty the bladder. (The leftover urine is called the post-void residual, or PVR.) Doctors can estimate the PVR volume using ultrasound. A PVR of 100 ml or greater is considered chronic urinary retention.

Acute urinary retention is complete blockage of urinary flow. It is a very disturbing and painful condition that can have dangerous consequences if not treated rapidly. If the obstruction is left untreated, there is a chance that bladder dysfunction, bladder stones, or kidney damage could result.

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