Inferior vena cava obstruction syndrome caused by urinary retention

OBJECTIVE: To report an unusual case of inferior vena cava obstruction secondary to urinary retention. METHODS/RESULTS: A 72-year-old male patient with a history of bilateral inguinal hernia and a recent hip surgery, presented with deep venous thrombosis in the left leg. A CT scan disclosed significant thickening of the bladder wall and grade III-IV hypertrophy of the prostate. Abdominal ultrasound disclosed a cystic mass compressing the vena cava and moderate ureterohydronephrosis. Edema spontaneously resolved following insertion of a urethral catheter and renal function returned to normal. CONCLUSION: Obstruction of the inferior vena cava secondary to an enlarged bladder is rare. To our knowledge only two such cases have been reported in the literature. In the case described herein, urinary retention may have been exacerbated by prostatic hypertrophy, anesthesia and bed confinement due to hip surgery.