Introduction:

The implementation of the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) protocol in thoracic surgery has changed the perioperative management of patients. One of the new recommendations is to avoid systematic urinary catheterization during lung surgery.

There is little scientific evidence on postoperative urological and renal complications. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the incidence of urological and renal complications in the population undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopy lung resection by according to the use or not of urinary catheterization.

Method:

A prospective longitudinal study in the Postanaesthesia Care Unit (PACU) at a tertiary hospital during the period April 2019 to July 2020 was conducted. Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopy lung resection were included.

Results:

Amongst the 62 patients that were admitted in the PACU without urinary catheter, 5 developed urological or renal complications in the first 24 hours after surgery. 3 out of 5 had high sonographic estimated bladder volume (>300 ml) on their PACU admission and 4 out of 5 had high volume 4 hours after surgery. These complications didn't have a clinically relevant impact on the renal function during hospital stay.

Conclusions:

The recommendation to avoid urinary catheterisation in lung resection surgery seems to be a safe practice. It would be relevant to have tools that allow detection and monitoring of patients at increased risk to favour early detection of complications.