Neurogenic Bladder: Urine Retention


What are the treatments for urine retention?
Urine retention may occur either because the bladder wall muscle cannot contract or because the sphincter muscle cannot relax.

Catheter. A catheter is a thin tube that can be slid through the urethra into the bladder to let urine flow out into a collection bag. If you are able to place the catheter yourself, you can learn to carry out the procedure at regular intervals, a practice called clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Some patients cannot place their own catheters because nerve damage affects their hand coordination as well as their voiding function. These patients need to have a caregiver place the catheter for them at regular intervals. If this is not feasible, the patients may need to have an indwelling catheter that can be changed less often. Indwelling catheters have several risks, including infection, bladder stones, and bladder tumors. However, if the bladder cannot be emptied any other way, then the catheter is the only way to stop the buildup of urine in the bladder that can damage the kidneys.


Surgery. Men may consider a surgery that removes the external sphincter (sphincterotomy) or a piece of it (sphincter resection) to prevent urinary retention. The surgeon will pass a thin instrument through the urethra to deliver electrical or laser energy that burns away sphincter tissue. Possible complications include bleeding that requires a transfusion and rarely problems with erections. This procedure causes loss of urine control and requires the patient to collect urine by wearing an external catheter that fits over the penis like a condom. No external collection device is available for women.


Hope Through Research

NIDDK is supporting another team of researchers that is testing an injectable form of oxybutynin, a drug for overactive bladder currently available in pill and patch form. Injections may deliver a more effective and efficient dose of oxybutynin because the drug would not be broken down by the digestive system as the oral form is.



Reviewed by Francine Kaufman, MD. 01/09

Last Modified Date: May 28, 2013


Sign up for FREE dLife Newsletters


You are subscribed!
You are subscribed!
You are subscribed!
615 Views 0 comments
by Brenda Bell
Last week, Lindsey railed about that portion of the diabetes community that seems to seek pity for complications that seem to arise from the deliberate neglect of that insulin-sucking monkey on our shoulders. While I agree that deliberate self-mistreatment for its own (or pity's) sake is more indicative of mental illness than anything else, I'm more likely to ask about the reasons why a person might...