Emergency Cases Northwest Group

052 Bladdered

Situation

Bladder scan showed urinary retention: but it was ascites.

Background

An alcoholic man presented with abdominal discomfort. At triage the bladder scanner showed a bladder volume of >900ml. He was catheterised but little urine was drained. On inspection he had ascites.

Assessment

He didn’t have urinary retention. The bladder scanner was reading the ascitic fluid in the abdomen as urine in the bladder erroneously.

Recommendation

Just be aware that that the bladder scanner can some times read other fluids and fluid filled structures as urinary retention by mistake.

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANY PATIENT IDENTIFIABLE DATA OR GEO-LOCATION DATA IN THE SUBMISSION OR IN ANY ATTACHED IMAGES

Emergency Cases Northwest Group