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Idiopathic Urinary Retention in the Female

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Female Genitourinary and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction

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Abstract

Urinary retention is characterized by the inability to voluntary void urine despite persistent effort. It is a multifactorial condition with several anatomical and functional etiologies. Female urinary retention is a rare and poorly understood entity when compared to the synonymous condition commonly encountered in men. Urinary retention in females can be classified as anatomical or functional. Idiopathic female urinary retention is a diagnosis of exclusion with a spectrum in the severity of the condition ranging from difficult voiding to complete retention. The diagnosis is based on a detailed history, physical examination, and appropriate workup including urodynamics and psychoneurological analysis aiming to eliminate all possible differential diagnoses. Understanding the pathophysiology of urinary retention is the key element to providing an appropriate management strategy. Treatment depends on the severity of the condition and patient’s general status while taking in consideration the different patient phenotypes and related conditions. The management may range from watchful waiting and post-void residual surveillance to bladder drainage either by clean intermittent self-catheterization or indwelling catheter insertion. No oral medication yet has shown effectiveness in restoring normal micturition. Perineal and pelvic physiotherapy with biofeedback could improve symptoms in select patients. Surgical intervention may be a suitable option in select or refractory cases either by posterior tibial or sacral nerve stimulation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Abdulghani Khogeer

  2. Department of Urology, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Lysanne Campeau

  3. Department of Surgery/Urology, McGill University Health Center and Lachine Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Mélanie Aubé-Peterkin

Authors
  1. Abdulghani Khogeer
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  2. Lysanne Campeau
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  3. Mélanie Aubé-Peterkin
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mélanie Aubé-Peterkin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Francisco E. Martins

  2. University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Henriette Veiby Holm

  3. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Jaspreet S. Sandhu

  4. Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA

    Kurt A McCammon

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Khogeer, A., Campeau, L., Aubé-Peterkin, M. (2023). Idiopathic Urinary Retention in the Female. In: Martins, F.E., Holm, H.V., Sandhu, J.S., McCammon, K.A. (eds) Female Genitourinary and Pelvic Floor Reconstruction. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19598-3_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19598-3_17

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-19597-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-19598-3

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