Acute urinary retention in women: complete urodynamic evaluation.

Sixteen women underwent complete urodynamic investigation of acute urinary retention. Simultaneous recordings of intravesical and rectal pressures allowed an easy distinction to be made between bladder contractions and abdominal straining. Needle electromyograms, viewed on an oscilloscope by an experienced electromyographer, permitted an exacting neurologic diagnosis. Although the cause was psychogenic in 7 patients, 9 others had subtle evidence of organic pathology, one of whom had a spinal cord tumor. A logical format for evaluating acute urinary retention is presented.