Prolonged postoperative urinary retention following spinal anesthesia for knee arthroscopy - a case report
Keywords:
urinary retention, spinal anesthesia, bupivacaine, postoperative complicationAbstract
Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is one of the most common complications of spinal anesthesia. Although common, prolonged cases of POUR that were associated with spinal anesthesia are sporadic. This article represents a case report of a patient who suffered from prolonged POUR attributed to the spinal anesthesia for knee arthroscopy which was assumed to be caused by intrathecal bupivacaine neurotoxicity. It reports an unexpectedly long duration of POUR that has not been recovered after 14 months, with no additional complications. According to our knowledge, no case of permanent POUR after spinal anesthesia has been reported nor has it been mentioned as a complication of intrathecal bupivacaine administration so far. Therefore, we emphasize the importance of awareness of unexpected complications after medical procedures because it is the provider's responsibility to recognize them and treat them accordingly.
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