Iran Journal of Nursing

  Background and Aim: Acute urinary retention is an acute emergency identified by inability to void and also lower abdominal pain. This problem generally occurs following surgery or cardiac catheterization and needs to be solved through urinary catheterization, a procedure that raises the risk of urinary tract infections. Therefore, alternative ways of relieving urinary retention, preferably noninvasive interventions, are of great importance. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of external use of onion as a traditional intervention to relieve acute urinary retention in male patients following cardiac catheterization.

  Material and Method: A randomized controlled trial design was used to conduct the study. The sample consisted of 62 male patients with acute urinary retention following cardiac catheterization. The subjects were allocated to either control or intervention group through balanced block randomization. For intervention group, a gas covered with onion was applied on symphysis pubis area and the same was applied for control group except that the gas was immersed in tepid water before application. The data was collected using information sheet. Elimination of acute urinary retention was compared between two groups.

  Results: The number of urinary catheterization in intervention and control group decreased by 58/1% and 71%, respectively, but, there was not statistically significant difference between two groups. Mean time of elimination of acute urinary retention in intervention and control group was 17/27 and 16/63 minutes, respectively.

  Conclusion: According to the findings, the researchers recommend nurses to use gas soaked in tepid water as a solution for acute urinary retention in male patients following cardiac catheterization.