ABSTRACT
To analyze patients' status and current practice in the management of acute urinary retention [AUR] secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]. Salmaniya Medical Complex [SMC], Kingdom of Bahrain. Records of 478 patients with AUR were reviewed. The patients were managed by five consultant urologists during period of eight years [1995-2003]. We have documented: in patients and methods. Urethral catheterization was the initial management of choice in 459 [96%] and suprapubic catheters in 19 [4%]. Digital rectal examination [DRE] and abdominal ultrasonography were done in the majority, of patients. Prostate specific antigen [PSA] was done in 229 [48%]; transrectal ultrasonography in 14 [3%] and intravenous pyelography [IVP] in 129 [27%]. Fifty-three patients [11%] were managed successfully with trial without catheter [TWOC], 2-3 days after starting alpha blocker. Four hundred twenty-five patients [89%] underwent endoscopic examination, of these 10 patients had prostatic stenting only, one had open prostatectomy and the remainder had transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP]. This study revealed a reasonable uniformity in the management of AUR secondary to BPH in SMC without or with guidelines, which needs to depend on evidence-based studies