Post-voiding residual volume in 154 primiparae 3 days after vaginal delivery under epidural anesthesia

Objectives: To use 3-dimensional ultrasonography Q D-US) to determine the frequency of post-voiding residual volume (PVRV) >= 100 mL in primiparae 3 days after receiving epidural anesthesia for vaginal delivery. Potential relationships between day-3 PVRV >= 100 mL and obstetrical-pediatric parameters, especially those possibly implicated in post-obstetrical bladder dysfunction, were examined. Study design: We recruited 154 primiparae who vaginally delivered term singletons following uncomplicated pregnancies in the maternity unit of a French teaching hospital. All women had been systematically catheterized 2-h postpartum to measure precisely the volume of urine retained. On the morning of discharge (day 3), when the patient felt the urge to urinate, her 3D-US pre-voiding bladder volume was determined with BladderScan (TM) (BVI-3000), then her spontaneously voided urine was collected to accurately quantify its volume and 3D-US was repeated immediately to evaluate the PVRV. PVRV >= 00 mL on day 3 was considered pathological. Result: Among these 154 women, 88 (57%) felt the need to urinate and 97 (63%) had a retained volume >= 500 mL at 2-h postpartum. On day-3 postpartum, the median [range] volumes for the entire cohort were: 426.7 [158-999.7] mL 3D-US-measured pre-voiding, 350 [151000] mL collected by spontaneous urination, 82.2 [5.3-433.3] mL 3D-US-determined post-voiding; PVRV exceeded 100 mL for 55 (36%). According to our univariate analysis, no factor considered was able to predict PVRV >= 100 mL on day 3. Conclusion: Our observations confirmed the existence of PVRV >= 100 mL on day 3 in more than one-third of these primiparae who delivered vaginally under epidural anesthesia. No obstetrical-pediatric factor could be implicated in this bladder dysfunction. Therefore, we recommend frequent and systematic non-invasive 3D-US monitoring of all postpartum patients at least until day 3 to avoid excessive urine retention. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.