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Emptying the Bladder

Chapter 2: Table of Contents

Emptying the Bladder

If the patient did not urinate before surgery, it may be helpful to empty the urinary bladder manually before an abdominal procedure.  With the patient in lateral or dosal recumbency, the bladder is palpated with one or two hands.  Constant manual pressure is then applied to the bladder to produce micturition.  The bladder can rarely be emptied with a single attempt, nor can it be completely emptied.  The urine is collected in a bowl or towel.

This should not be done in pyometra patients as excess pressure on the abdomen may rupture the uterus.

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