Early removal of urinary catheter leads to greater post-void residuals in patients with thoracic epidural

• Published in: Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 2012-09, Vol.56 (8), p.1020-1025
• Main Authors: ZAOUTER, C., WUETHRICH, P., MICCOLI, M., CARLI, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen - surgery; Aged; Anesthesia; Anesthesia, Epidural; Anesthesia, General; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Catheters, Indwelling; Endpoint Determination; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pain Clinics; Pain Management; Thoracic Surgical Procedures; Thoracic Vertebrae; Ultrasonography; Urinary Bladder - anatomy & histology; Urinary Bladder - diagnostic imaging; Urinary Catheterization - methods; Urination - physiology
• ISSN: 0001-5172; 1399-6576
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2012.02701.x

Background A recent study showed that the removal of a bladder catheter is safe in presence of thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA). However, the ability to void satisfactorily can be affected. The aim of this investigation is to determine whether patients with TEA are able to recover the micturition process. Methods On the morning after the surgery patients were randomised into two groups: the early removal group (ERG) (n = 101), with the bladder catheter removed at the same time, and the standard group (SG) (n = 104), where the bladder catheter was kept as long as TEA was functioning (on average 3–5 days after surgery). Following the first micturition, patients underwent regular ultrasound scanning of the bladder until a post‐void residual (PVR) less than 200 ml was reached. Results All of the patients in the ERG and in the SG started to void and recovered satisfactorily their ability to void, reaching a PVR