Reliability of an automatic ultrasound system in the post partum period in measuring urinary retention.

BACKGROUND

Urinary retention in the post partum period may lead to short- and long-term complications.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the reliability of an automatic ultrasound system to measure the volume of the bladder post partum.

METHODS

About 85 women, who delivered vaginally were observed 6 hr post partum. When the bladder volume measured by BladderScan BVI 3000 was more than 300 ml, it was compared with the bladder volume measured by catheterization.

RESULTS

Ten additional catheterizations were performed by using BladderScan BVI 3000, when compared with the number of estimated cathetharizations based on clinical indications. Eight women had a residual volume of more than 300 ml, of whom two got an indwelling catheter. Using Bland-Altman methods, there was no significant difference in volumes measured by BladderScan BVI 3000 or by catheterization. Also, there was no significant difference between two observers.

CONCLUSION

The BladderScan BVI 3000 is a reliable and non-invasive method to recognize urinary retention in the post partum period.