Post-operative urinary retention (POUR) is not an uncommon complication following thoracic surgery. It has been reported to occur in up to 12-67% of patients with the use of thoracic epidural analgesia1. Risk factors associated with urinary retention in thoracic patients include male, age over 40 years, type 2 diabetes, undergoing lung resection and the use of thoracic epidural analgesia2. Patients who experience urinary retention are treated with a straight catheter and may subsequently require the placement of an indwelling catheter. The use of these catheters is associated with numerous complications. The best studied complications are infectious and include catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). However, many patients continue to experience symptoms well after their catheters have been removed.~Tamsulosin is an alpha one adrenergic receptor blocked that is indicated for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in the context of benign prostatic hyperplasia. However, it is often used in clinical practice to treat other pathologies such as acute urinary retention and nephrolithiasis.~The objectives of this study are to determine the efficacy of tamsulosin compared to placebo in reducing post-operative urinary retention and catheter related complications in people undergoing thoracic surgery.
The purpose of this study are to determine the efficacy of tamsulosin compared to placebo in reducing post-operative urinary retention and improving other clinical outcomes in people undergoing thoracic surgery.