The importance of closed bladder irrigation in prostatectomy.

Closed bladder irrigation in transvesical prostatectomy is an important factor in arresting bleeding and preventing or diminishing bacterial infection. A bladder irrigation of appropriate intensity may ensure that the blood clots be removed rapidly from the bladder and thereby the formation of larger clots and bladder tamponade can be avoided. The bacteriological examination of the eluents of 82 patients revealed that the longer the patient is maintained on a catheter, the longer bacteriuria and pyuria will persist. Two days are considered by the authors to be the optimal time of maintaining a closed bladder irrigation.