Administering prophylactic alpha-blockade to reduce urinary retention post inguinal hernia repair: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised control trials

Introduction: The incidence of post-operative urinary retention (POUR) following inguinal hernia repair (IHR) is approximately 0.4% -22.0%. POUR may lead to patient discomfort and catheter-related complications including urinary tract infection, urethral trauma, bladder overdistension and subsequent permanent bladder dysfunction. We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised control trials (RCT) evaluating the impact of administration of perioperative alpha-blockade to reduce the incidence of acute POUR following IHR.Methods: A systematic review was performed as per PRISMA guidelines. The incidence of POUR in the alpha-blocker and control groups were expressed as dichotomous outcomes, reported as odds ratios (ORs) expressed with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) following estimation using the Mantel-Haenszel method.Results: Eight RCTs with a combined total of 918 patients were included. Of these, 53.7% (493/918) received alpha-blockers while 46.3% (425/918) did not. Five studies used tamsulosin, two used prazosin and one used phenoxybenzamine. Overall, the prescription of prophylactic alpha-blockers in the preoperative setting signifi-cantly reduced POUR compared to the control group (7.9% (39/493) vs 21.2% (90/425), OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.12-0.80, P = 0.020).Conclusion: Preoperative prescription of alpha-blockers reduced the incidence of POUR following inguinal hernia repair. The next generation of prospective randomised trials may identify which patients should be prescribed this medication prior to surgery.