COMPLICATIONS OF BLADDER DISTENSION DURING RETROGRADE URETHROGRAPHY

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 42  (5) , 819-821
Abstract
A severe, ulcerative cystitis that resulted in macroscopic hematuria occurred in 8 of 20 healthy dogs undergoing a series of diagnostic tests. Of the remaining 12 dogs, 4 had mild bladder lesions consisting of submucosal edema and hemorrhage. Of the 20 dogs, 9 developed urinary tract infection after the procedures. These complications seemed associated with the radiographic technique of retrograde urethrography performed when the urinary bladder was distended. To test this hypothesis, retrograde urethrography was performed on 5 additional dogs. With the bladder undistended, no complications occurred. Distention of these same dogs'' bladders for 1 min or less with sterile lactated Ringer''s solution administered through a Foley catheter in the penile urethra resulted in a macroscopic hematuria in all 5 dogs which persisted for 24 h. A microscopic hematuria continued for 5 days. One dog developed a bacterial urinary tract infection. A severe fibrinopurulent cystitis was present at necropsy of 2 dogs 2 days after distention. The morphologic changes in the bladder gradually diminished over 7 days, but mild submucosal edema and hemorrhage were still present when 2 dogs were necropsied, 7 days after distention. Retrograde urethrography in dogs may be complicated by hemorrhagic cystitis and urinary tract infection if performed with urinary bladder distention.