Chronic urine retention secondary to peripheral neuropathy with widespread vegetative involvement. Case description

Abstract

In clinical practice it is common to find patients in whom urinary retention is not secondary to cervicourethral obstruction. Therapeutic measures, surgical or otherwise, do not live up to expectations in these patients. The Authors describe the case of a 54-year-old patient who presented with urinary retention. Neuro-urological exams excluded the presence of a cervicourethral obstruction and instead revealed probable parasympathetic denervation, subsequently confirmed by the Cutaneous Sympathetic Response recording and Cardiovascular Tests. In such cases correct diagnosis relies on close co-operation between the urodynamics and the neurophysiology doctors. These are undoubtedly particular cases, but an incorrect diagnostic framework could lead to inappropriate surgical treatment.