Use of ultrasonography in the evaluation of urinary retention in critically ill patients

OBJECTIVE: to measure urinary volume through bladder ultrasound, performed by a nurse in critically ill patients, after removal of the indwelling urinary catheter and to verify the related factors on urinary retention. METHOD: quantitative, observational and cross-sectional study, carried out with 37 critically ill patients of both sexes, over 18 years of age, with removal of indwelling urinary catheter in the last 48 hours. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic and clinical variables and an ultrasound examination were used. Data were presented through frequency distribution, centrality and variability measures, association using Fisher`s exact test and, for analysis multiple binomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: the 37 patients were mostly male, with a mean age of 54.9 years. The measurement of urinary volume by ultrasound ranged from 332.3 to 950 ml, and 40.54% of patients had urinary retention. Urinary retention was significantly associated with the occurrence of urinary tract infection, intestinal constipation and spontaneous overflow diuresis. Patients with urinary tract infection were 7.4 times more likely to have urinary retention. CONCLUSION: bladder ultrasonography was effective in measuring urinary volume after removal of the indwelling urinary catheter and and may contribute to the detection of urinary retention.