Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Acute urinary retention due to benign inflammatory nervous diseases

  • ORIGINAL COMMUNICATION
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Both neurologists and urologists might encounter patients with acute urinary retention due to benign inflammatory nervous diseases. Based on the mechanism of urinary retention, these disorders can be divided into two subgroups: disorders of the peripheral nervous system (e.g., sacral herpes) or the central nervous system (e.g., meningitis-retention syndrome [MRS]). Laboratory abnormalities include increased herpes virus titers in sacral herpes, and increased myelin basic protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in some cases with MRS. Urodynamic abnormality in both conditions is detrusor areflexia; the putative mechanism of it is direct involvement of the pelvic nerves in sacral herpes; and acute spinal shock in MRS. There are few cases with CSF abnormality alone. Although these cases have a benign course, management of the acute urinary retention is necessary to avoid bladder injury due to overdistension. Clinical features of sacral herpes or MRS differ markedly from those of the original “Elsberg syndrome” cases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gatti JM, Perez-Brayfield M, Kirsch AJ, Smith EA, Scherz HC, Massad CA, Broecker BH (2001) Acute urinary retention in children. J Urol 165:918–921

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Wheeler JS Jr, Culkin DJ, Walter JS, Flanigan RC (1990) Female urinary retention. Urology 35:428–432

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Herbaut AG (1993) Neurogenic urinary retention. Int Urogynecol J 4:221–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Sakakibara R, Hattori T, Uchiyama T, Kamura K, Yamanishi T (2003) Uro-neurological assessment of spina bifida cystica and occulta. Neurourol Urodynam 22:328–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Swinn MJ, Lowe E, Fowler CJ (1998) The clinical features of non-psychogenic urinary retention (Fowler’s syndrome) Neurourol Urodynam 17:383–384

    Google Scholar 

  6. Yamanishi T, Yasuda K, Sakakibara R, Hattori T, Uchiyama T, Minamide M, Ito T (1998) Urinary retention due to Herpes Simplex infections. Neurourol Urodynam 17:613–619

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Sakakibara R, Uchiyama T, Liu Z, Yamamoto T, Ito T, Uzawa A, Suenaga T, Kanai K, Awa Y, Sugiyama Y, Hattori T (2005) Meningitis-retention syndrome; an unrecognized clinical condition. J Neurol, in press [Epub ahead of print]

  8. Gayral L (1953) Meningo-radiculite de la queue de cheval et herpes. Encephale 42:274–282

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Dales MB, Wilson G (1956) Bladder involvement in a case of herpes zoster. Br J Urol 28:198–200

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Broseta E, Osca JM, Martinez-Agullo J, Jimenez-Cruz JF (1993) Urological manifestations of herpes zoster. Eur Urol 24:244–247

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ray B, Wise G (1970) Urinary retention associated with herpes zoster. J Urol 104:422–425

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Richmond W (1974) The genito-urinary manifestations of herpes zoster. Three case reports and a review of the literature. Br J Urol 46:193–200

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Craig CP, Nahmias AJ (1973) Different pattern of neurologic involvement with herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2: isolation of herpes simplex type 2 from the buffy coat of two adults with meningitis. J Infect Dis 127:365–372

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Caplan LR, Kleemarl FJ, Berg S (1977) Urinary retention probably secondary to herpes genitalis. N Engl J Med 297:920–921

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Oates JK, Greenhouse PR (1978) Retention of urine in anogenital herpetic infection. Lancet 1:691–692

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Greenstein A, Matzkin H, Kaver I, Braf Z (1988) Acute urinary retention in herpes genitalis infection: urodynamic evaluation. Urology 3l:453–456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Worrell JT, Cockerell CJ (1997) Histopathology of peripheral nerves in cutaneous herpes virus infection. Am J Dermatopathol 19:133–137

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Levy DM, Sagar HJ (1984) Herpes simplex type 2 meningitis treated with aciclovir. Postgrad Med J 60:282–283

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Blaivas JG (1982) The neurophysiology of micturition; a clinical study of 550 patients. J Urol 127:958–963

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hiraga A, Ngumo K, Sakakibara R, Kojima S, Fujinawa N, Hashimoto T (2003) Loss of urinary voiding sensation due to herpes zoster. Neurourol Urodynam 22:335–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Patel BR, Rivner MH (1988) Herpes zoster causing acute urinary retention. South Med J 81:929–930

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Herbaut AG, Nogueira MC, Wespes E (1990) Urinary retention due to sacral myeloradiculitis: A clinical and neurophysiological study. J Urol 144:1206–1208

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Eberhardt O, Kuker W, Dichgans J, Weller M (2004) HV2 sacral radiculitis (Elsberg syndrome). Neurology 63:758–759

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Murphy TF, Senterfit LB, Christian CL (1980) Arthralgia associated with acute urinary retention: a syndrome of probable viral etiology. Am J Med 68:386–388

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Vanneste JL, Karthaus PM, Davies G (1980) Acute urinary retention due to sacral myeloradiculitis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 43:954–956

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Mumenthaler M (1977) Das Elsberg-Syndrom. In: Mumenthaler M, Schliack H (eds) Lasionen Peripherer Nerven. 3e Auflage. Stuttgart, Georg Thieme Verlag, 155. (In: Peripheral Nerve Lesions; Diagnosis and Therapy (English translation (1991)). Clinical pictures of root lesions, Elsberg syndrome, 151)

  27. Alford, EC Jr (1985) Disseminated encephalomyelitis; its variations in form and their relationships to other diseases of the nervous system. In: Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Koetsier JC (ed) vol. 3, Demyelinating Disease, 467–502.

  28. Schwarz S, Mohr A, Knauth M, Wildemann B, Storch-Hagenlocher B (2001) Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. A follow-up study of 40 adult patients. Neurology 56:1313–1318

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Sakakibara R, Hattori T, Yasuda K, Yamanishi T (1996) Micturitional disturbance in acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (AE). J Auton Nerv Syst 60:200–205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Pradhan S, Gupta RK, Kapoor R, Shashank S, Kathuria MK (1998) Parainfectious conus myelitis. J Neurol Sci 161:156–162

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Kinoshita A, Kaseda S, Yagi K, Oda M, Tanabe H (1994) A case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with pathology-proven acute demyelinating lesion in the peripheral nervous system. Clin Neurol 34:892–897 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Hayashi R, Ohara S (2004) Elsberg syndrome. Chapter 5, Infectious Disease, In: Annual Review Neurology 2003, Chugai Igaku Sha, Tokyo, 126–132 (in Japanese)

  33. Nakamura K, Ueyama H, Arakawa R, Fujimoto S, kumamoto T (2005) F-wave abnormality of the posterior tibialis nerves in a patient with Elsberg syndrome. Neurol Med 61:565–569 (in Japanese with English abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Kusuhara T, Nakajima M, Inoue H, Takahashi M, Yamada T (2002) Parainfectious encephalomyeloradiculitis associated with herpes simplex virus 1 DAin cerebrospinal fluid. Clin Infect Dis 34:1199–1205

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Zenda T, Soma R, Muramoto H, Hayase H, Orito M, Okada T, Mabuchi H, Okino S (2002) Acute urinary retention as an unusual manifestation of aseptic meningitis. Intern Med 41:392–394

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Kanno R, Yokoyama J, Takagi Z (1985) Aseptic meningitis associated with urinary retention. Annual Report of Ohara Hospital 28:51–54 (in Japanese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Ohe C, Ohashi Y (1990) A case of urinary retention secondary to aseptic meningitis. Rinshou Hinyoukika 44:911–913 (in Japanese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Fukagai T, Ishihara M, Funabashi K, Naitoh Y, Murayama K (1996) A case of urinary retention secondary to aseptic meningitis. Rinshou Hinyoukika 50:67–70 (in Japanese with English Abstract)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Shimizu Y, Yamamoto S, Inoue K (1999) Two cases of urinary retention secondary to aseptic meningitis. Acta Urol Jpn 45:435–437 (in Japanese with English Abstract)

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Sakakibara R, Hattori T, Kuwabara S, Yamanishi T, Yasuda K (1997) Micturitional disturbance in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 63:649–653

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Sakakibara R, Hattori T, Yasuda K, Yamanishi T (1996) Micturitional disturbance in acute transverse myelitis. Spinal Cord 34:481–485

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Sakakibara R, Hattori T, Fukutake T, Mori M, Yamanishi T, Yasuda K (1998) Micturitional disturbance in herpetic brainstem encephalitis; contribution of the pontine micturition center (PMC) J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 64:269–272

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Steinberg J, Rukstalis DB, Vickers MA Jr (1991) Acute urinary retention secondary to herpes simplex meningitis. J Urol 145:359–360

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Sperber A, Tessler AN, Berczeller P (1973) Infectionus mononucleosis with acute urinary retention. Urology 2:456–457

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  45. Brostrom S (2003) Motor evoked potentials from the pelvic floor. Neurourol Urodyn 22:620–637

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Komar J, Szalay M, Dalos M (1982) Acute retention of urine due to isolated sacral myeloradiculitis. J Neurol 228: 215–217

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Hemrika DJ, Schutte MF, Bleker OP (1986) Elsberg syndrome; a neurologic basis for acute urinary retention in patients with genital herpes. Obstet Gynecol 68:37–39

    Google Scholar 

  48. Herbaut AG, Vooedecker P, Monseu G, Germeau F (1987) Benign transient urinary retention. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 50:354–355

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Lepori P, Marcacci G, Gaglianone S (1992) Elsberg syndrome: radiculomyelopathy and acute urinary retention in patient with genital herpes. Ital J Neurol Sci 13:373–375

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Bornke C, Buttner T, Heye N, Meves S, Przuntek H (1996) Lumbosacral radiculitis (Elsberg’s syndrome) with isolated angitis of the central nervous system. J Nurol 243:662–664

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Wildgruber D, Kuntz R, Kermer P, Bartel J, Fetter M, Dichgans J (1999) Elsberg syndrome due to infarction of the conus medullaris associated with a prothrombin mutation. J Neurol 246:507–508

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Kennedy F, Elsberg CA, Lambert CI (1913) A peculiar undescribed disease of the nerves of the cauda equina. Am J Med Sci 147:645–667

    Google Scholar 

  53. Elsberg CA, Kennedy F (1913) A peculiar and undescribed disease of the roots of the cauda equina. Society Proceedings of American Neurological Association 39th Annual Meeting, Washington, 5–7 May

  54. Burton M, Anslow P, Gray W, Donaghy M (2002) Selective hypertrophy of the cauda equina nerve roots. J Neurol 249:337–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Dyck PJ, Windebank AJ (2002) Diabetic and nondiabetic lumbosacral radiculoplexus neuropathies: new insights into pathophysiology and treatment. Muscle Nerve 25:477–491

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana Chuo-ku, 260-8670, Chiba, Japan

    Ryuji Sakakibara

  2. Department of Urology, Dokkyo Medical College, Tochigi, Japan

    Tomonori Yamanishi

  3. Department of Neurology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan

    Tomoyuki Uchiyama & Takamichi Hattori

Authors
  1. Ryuji Sakakibara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tomonori Yamanishi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tomoyuki Uchiyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Takamichi Hattori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ryuji Sakakibara.

Additional information

Received in revised form 22 October 2005

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sakakibara, R., Yamanishi, T., Uchiyama, T. et al. Acute urinary retention due to benign inflammatory nervous diseases. J Neurol 253, 1103–1110 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0189-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0189-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation