Severe urinary retention secondary to intrathecal morphine pain pump: A case report

Intrathecal opioid pain pumps (IPP) are sometimes prescribed for treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain. Severe urinary retention is not a commonly reported side effect of the IPP. In this case, an elderly female with multiple comorbidities presented with acute onset of severe urinary retention immediately following morphine IPP placement for chronic peripheral neuropathy. Multiple management strategies for urinary retention were employed. However, the urinary retention only fully resolved once the IPP was disabled. This case highlights the need to closely monitor chronic pain patients with complex medical histories who may be uniquely predisposed to opioid-mediated severe urinary retention.