Rare Causes of Acute Urinary Retention in a Resource Poor Setting in Nigeria: A Descriptive Case-Based Study

Background: Acute urinary retention (AUR) is a medical emergency characterized by the sudden inability to void despite a full bladder. Objective: This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of rare causes of AUR and their causes. Methodology: This was a retrospective study over a period of five years in which all the medical records of patients were retrieved and information on acute urinary retention extracted from them and transferred to a data sheet. Those whose records were grossly deficient were excluded from the study. Hence 3652 folders were reviewed out of which 53(1.45%) folders were for patients that had AUR. Two (3.77%) of these 53 folders were females and 51(96.22%) were males, of which one of the males (1.96%) was an infant. Rare causes of urinary retention in the hospital clinic were found in four (7.45%) of the patients. Conclusion: The primary care physician needs a high index of suspicion to be able to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Understanding rare AUR causes in resource-poor settings enhances diagnostic accuracy, reduces iatrogenic harm, and aligns treatment with local disease patterns.