Prophylactic phenoxybenzamine in the prevention of postoperative retention of urine after vaginal repair: a prospective randomized double-blind trial.

To investigate the effect of prophylactic phenoxybenzamine on the bladder emptying after vaginal repair operations, 41 consecutive patients, who underwent the Manchester operation or an anterior + posterior repair because of genital descensus, were allocated at random to either prophylactic phenoxybenzamine (PBZ-group) or placebo treatment in the postoperative course. Prophylactic phenoxybenzamine was found to produce an improved emptying function of the bladder, leading to a statistically significant reduced number of acute urinary retentions (P = 0.029), decreased time until spontaneous voiding (P = 0.026) and reduced volume of residual urine (P = 0.018). Furthermore, a reduced incidence of urinary tract infections was found in the PBZ-group. Prophylactic phenoxybenzamine treatment is recommended as an alternative to routine bladder drainage in preventing urinary retention following vaginal repair operations for genital descensus.