In men aged 40–83 years, the overall incidence of urinary retention is 4.5–6.8 cases per 1000 men per year. The incidence increases significantly with age, so that a man in his 70 s has a 10% chance and a man in his 80 s has a more than 30% chance of experiencing an episode of acute urinary retention [1]. The goal of diagnosis is to quickly reach a finding through clinical examination and ultrasound to be able to relieve the bladder. The first maneuver is catheterization, followed by, if necessary, initiation of pharmacological therapy that targets the underlying cause. Despite the high association of urinary retention with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a comprehensive history and diagnosis are crucial to identify possible rare and complex causes and to enable targeted treatment. The challenge lies in finding the balance between rapid symptomatic treatment and thorough investigation of atypical and rare pathologies to develop individually adapted and effective therapy strategies.
