Comparison of the effect of hot and cold compresses on post-operative urinary retention in older patients: A clinical trial study

Urinary retention is a common post-operative complication in the older patients. The use of hot and cold compresses can be considered a safe and non-invasive method to relieve urinary retention. In this study, the effects of these two methods are compared. In this randomised clinical trial study, 52 older patients with urinary retention underwent general surgery in two groups underwent local intervention of hot and cold water compresses. After the intervention, success in relieving retention and the exact duration of urine flow were measured and recorded. The mean age of the hot compress group was 69.38 ± 7.82 and the cold compress group was 68.96 ± 7.28 years and the majority of both groups were male. The mean duration of post-operative urinary retention was not significantly different between the two groups. Urinary retention was eliminated in 46.2% of patients in the hot compress group and 53.8% in the cold compress group without the need for catheterization. This difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.782). The duration of urination after compression did not show a statistically significant difference between the two groups. Due to very little research on the use of cold compresses in relieving urinary retention, the findings of this study showed that the success rate of cold compresses in relieving retention was slightly higher than hot compresses. Therefore, this type of compress can also be used to relieve retention.