Abstract
<b><i>Background:</i></b> Postoperative continuous thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) is an integral aspect of pain management after major abdominal and thoracic surgery. Under TEA, postoperative urinary retention (POUR) is frequently noted, prompting a common practice of maintaining the transurethral catheter (UC) until the cessation of TEA to avoid the necessity for reinsertion of the UC. This study analyzes the effect of an early bladder catheter removal during TEA on POUR incidence. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The retrospective study was conducted on 71 patients undergoing elective abdominal and thoracic operations with TEA for postoperative pain control. Patients were divided into two groups based on the UC removal time in relation to the epidural catheter removal. In the early removal group (ERG), the UC was removed within 3 days of surgery, while in the standard group (SG), it was removed after completion of TEA. All patients in the ERG were still receiving TEA at the time of the UC removal. The primary outcome assessed was the incidence of POUR, while secondary outcomes included urinary tract infections (UTI), hospital length of stay (LOS), and patient’s comfort. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The overall prevalence of POUR was 7%, with five POUR cases – two (4.9%) of 41 patients in SG and three (10%) of 30 in ERG (<i>p</i> = 0.644). No significant difference was found in POUR occurrence between ERG and SG (<i>p</i> = 0.644). Additionally, no UTIs were observed in the study. The postoperative pain scores (visual analog scale [VAS]) 72 h and 96 h and the LOS (SG: 16.74 [±8.39] days; ERG: 14.53 [±6.99] days; <i>p</i> = 0.3) were similar between both study groups. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Based on our results, it can be concluded that the removal of UC in the early postoperative period, even during TEA, can be performed safely without significantly increasing the risk of recatheterization.