If you had surgery and now have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may wonder whether these two things are related. It is entirely possible that your surgery may have played a role in your urinary tract infection.ntmw/Getty ImagesWhy UTI Is Common After SurgeryMany patients have acatheterinserted into their bladder to drain urine during and/or after their procedure. The presence of a catheter, even atemporary catheter, increases the risk of contracting a urinary tract infection.A urinary tract infection after having a urinary catheter inserted is called a catheter-associated urinary tract infection, or CAUTI. Hospital staff work hard to prevent this type of infection, but there are times when a catheter is necessary, especially when the patient cannot urinate after surgery.A condition called urinary retention is also common afteranesthesia, and can increase the likelihood of a UTI. Urinary retention means that the bladder does not fully empty during urination, leaving urine sitting in the bladder longer than is normal.Urinary retention can be minor, leading to urinary frequency, or more serious, requiring catheterization and additional treatment.Post-Op Urinary Retention: When You Can’t Pee After SurgeryRisk Factors for UTI After SurgeryThere are additional factors that may play a role in a UTI after surgery, including the age of the patient (older patients are more likely to have this complication), sex (females are most likely to have a UTI), type of surgical procedure, and other conditions that you may have.Diabetes increases the risks of a UTI, as do surgeries that are done on or near part of the urinary tract, such as prostate surgery. Additionally, being immobilized after surgery will increase the probability of a UTI. Immobility is common after trauma and orthopedic procedures including some joint surgeries.Having surgery on any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra is also a risk factor for a urinary tract infection.Urinary Complications After Surgery
If you had surgery and now have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may wonder whether these two things are related. It is entirely possible that your surgery may have played a role in your urinary tract infection.
ntmw/Getty Images
Why UTI Is Common After Surgery
Many patients have acatheterinserted into their bladder to drain urine during and/or after their procedure. The presence of a catheter, even atemporary catheter, increases the risk of contracting a urinary tract infection.
A urinary tract infection after having a urinary catheter inserted is called a catheter-associated urinary tract infection, or CAUTI. Hospital staff work hard to prevent this type of infection, but there are times when a catheter is necessary, especially when the patient cannot urinate after surgery.
A condition called urinary retention is also common afteranesthesia, and can increase the likelihood of a UTI. Urinary retention means that the bladder does not fully empty during urination, leaving urine sitting in the bladder longer than is normal.
Urinary retention can be minor, leading to urinary frequency, or more serious, requiring catheterization and additional treatment.
Post-Op Urinary Retention: When You Can’t Pee After Surgery
Risk Factors for UTI After Surgery
There are additional factors that may play a role in a UTI after surgery, including the age of the patient (older patients are more likely to have this complication), sex (females are most likely to have a UTI), type of surgical procedure, and other conditions that you may have.
Diabetes increases the risks of a UTI, as do surgeries that are done on or near part of the urinary tract, such as prostate surgery. Additionally, being immobilized after surgery will increase the probability of a UTI. Immobility is common after trauma and orthopedic procedures including some joint surgeries.
Having surgery on any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra is also a risk factor for a urinary tract infection.
Urinary Complications After Surgery
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Catheter-associated urinary tract infection basics.Brouwer TA, van Roon EN, Rosier PFWM, Kalkman CJ, Veeger N.Postoperative urinary retention: risk factors, bladder filling rate and time to catheterization: an observational study as part of a randomized controlled trial.Perioper Med. 2021;10(1):2. doi:10.1186/s13741-020-00167-zAlvarez AP, Demzik AL, Alvi HM, Hardt KD, Manning DW.Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infections in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty.Adv Orthop. 2016;2016:7268985. doi:10.1155/2016/7268985
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Catheter-associated urinary tract infection basics.Brouwer TA, van Roon EN, Rosier PFWM, Kalkman CJ, Veeger N.Postoperative urinary retention: risk factors, bladder filling rate and time to catheterization: an observational study as part of a randomized controlled trial.Perioper Med. 2021;10(1):2. doi:10.1186/s13741-020-00167-zAlvarez AP, Demzik AL, Alvi HM, Hardt KD, Manning DW.Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infections in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty.Adv Orthop. 2016;2016:7268985. doi:10.1155/2016/7268985
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Catheter-associated urinary tract infection basics.Brouwer TA, van Roon EN, Rosier PFWM, Kalkman CJ, Veeger N.Postoperative urinary retention: risk factors, bladder filling rate and time to catheterization: an observational study as part of a randomized controlled trial.Perioper Med. 2021;10(1):2. doi:10.1186/s13741-020-00167-zAlvarez AP, Demzik AL, Alvi HM, Hardt KD, Manning DW.Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infections in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty.Adv Orthop. 2016;2016:7268985. doi:10.1155/2016/7268985
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Catheter-associated urinary tract infection basics.
Brouwer TA, van Roon EN, Rosier PFWM, Kalkman CJ, Veeger N.Postoperative urinary retention: risk factors, bladder filling rate and time to catheterization: an observational study as part of a randomized controlled trial.Perioper Med. 2021;10(1):2. doi:10.1186/s13741-020-00167-z
Alvarez AP, Demzik AL, Alvi HM, Hardt KD, Manning DW.Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infections in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty.Adv Orthop. 2016;2016:7268985. doi:10.1155/2016/7268985
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