Perioperative care: postoperative urinary retention: practice question

A General Surgery question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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General Surgery · Perioperative care: postoperative urinary retention

Sample item

A man has not passed urine 8 hours after inguinal hernia repair under spinal anaesthesia and has lower abdominal discomfort. What is the first step?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Bladder ultrasound scan followed by catheterisation if the volume is high

Spinal anaesthesia, opioids and pain commonly cause retention. A bladder scan confirms retention, and catheterisation relieves it and prevents overdistension injury.

Option by option

  • A. Reassurance only

    Reassurance risks bladder overdistension.

  • B. Immediate cystoscopy

    Cystoscopy is not needed at this stage.

  • C. Bladder ultrasound scan followed by catheterisation if the volume is high (correct)

    Correct. A bladder scan with catheterisation if retained is the appropriate step.

  • D. Intravenous diuretics

    A diuretic would worsen the retention.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this General Surgery question

What is the answer to this General Surgery question?

The best answer is C, Bladder ultrasound scan followed by catheterisation if the volume is high. Spinal anaesthesia, opioids and pain commonly cause retention.

Why is "Reassurance only" not the answer?

Reassurance risks bladder overdistension.

Why is "Immediate cystoscopy" not the answer?

Cystoscopy is not needed at this stage.

Why is "Intravenous diuretics" not the answer?

A diuretic would worsen the retention.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Perioperative care: postoperative urinary retention in General Surgery. A bladder scan confirms retention, and catheterisation relieves it and prevents overdistension injury.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Perioperative care: postoperative urinary retention?

Learn classic signs and eponyms alongside what they diagnose. Then use the flashcards and the other General Surgery questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.