ABSTRACT
Urinary retention is the lack of the ability to urinate. It can occur in the following situations: the detrusor muscle in the bladder wall is unable to contract effectively, contraction of the detrusor and relaxation of the sphincter is uncoordinated, example in detrusor sphincter dyssynergia. There are many non-neurological conditions that should be considered as a cause for urinary retention. These range from obstruction to failure of the ageing detrusor muscle. More unusual causes for urinary retention involve the nervous system. In general, the anatomical level of the neurological injury determines the functional effect on the urinary system. Urinary retention can be diagnosed clinically or by ultrasound scanning. To identify the cause of retention, a detailed clinical history should be obtained and a clinical examination performed, including the nervous system if a neurological cause is suspected. Infection should be identified by urine culture and serum analysis. Renal dysfunction, although rarer in women, should be excluded.
