Tamsulosin Fails to prevent urinary retention After Inguinal Hernioplasty under spinal anesthesia, suggests study

Inguinal hernioplasty is a common surgical procedure, often associated with complications such as post-operative urinary retention (POUR). Post-operative urinary retention, characterized by an inability to urinate despite a full bladder following a surgery that may need foley catheterization that on its own can lead to urinary tract infection, stricture, prolonged hospitalization, and increases cost of hospital care. Tamsulosin is a selective alpha-1 adrenergic blocker that can increase urine flow by relaxing the smooth muscle of urethra and prostate, thereby as a less invasive method may be effective in prevention of post-operative urinary retention.

This randomized clinical trial involved 179 male participants over 50 undergoing unilateral hernioplasty under spinal anesthesia. Group A (87 subjects) received 0.4 mg Tamsulosin 8 hours before surgery, then 6 to 12 hours post-operatively. Group B (92 subjects) received a placebo on the same schedule. Both were monitored for post-operative urinary retention incidence within 24 hours post-surgery. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18 and the P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.