Prevention of Postoperative Urinary Retention With Treatment of Tamsulosin 5 Days Prior to Lower Limb Arthroplasty

August 26, 2025 updated by: PD Dr. med. Räto T. Strebel, Kantonsspital Graubünden
Various studies have shown that the risk of suffering a urinary retention after knee or hip prosthesis surgery is 10-80%. The aim of the study is to reduce this riks. For this purpose, it is investigated whether a previously known drug (tamsulosin) which is used in bladder emptying disorders, can achieve a reduction in urinary retention after surgery. After the patients agree to participate in the study, they are examined in our urological clinic. Uroflowmetry is performed with sonographic residual volume measurement and prostate volume measurement. Furthermore, a standardized Voiding questionaire (IPSS) is completed. This study is conducted as a double-blind study using a placebo control group. The drug / placebo is taken once a day, five days before and two days after surgery. Subsequently, it is observed whether it comes to a urinary retention or not. After the operation, no further urological checks are planned or needed.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Study Category and rationale:

This study uses a well-known drug (tamsulosin) which is authorised in Switzerland and widely used to treat obstructive voiding problems. In our case the indication is different from that specified in the prescribing information, but it is within the same disease group, which in our case is to prevent urinary retention. Therefore according to the legal ordinance on clinical trials (ClinO), this study is classified as a clinical trial, research with collection of health-related personal data and placebo controlled of the category B.

Objective:

Our goal is to reduce the rate of postoperative urinary retention after lower limb arthroplasty. For this purpose, we plan to investigate whether an already known drug (Tamsulosin), which is widely used for bladder emptying disorders, could reduce the rate of postoperative urinary retention.

Outcomes:

The primary outcome is the occurrence of urinary retention during the 48 postoperative hours. The secondary outcome is the influence of other clinical factors on the occurrence of urinary retention as type of anaesthesia, preoperative residual volume, prostate size and international prostate symptom score (IPSS).

Measurement and procedures:

Once the decision for lower limb arthroplasty is made during the planned orthopaedic consultation, the patient will receive a participant information sheet and the informed consent. If the patient is interested to take part in the study he will receive an appointment in the urological clinic at least six days before the operation. During the appointment a urological specialist will explain the entire study. A uroflowmetry with sonographic measurement of residual volume and prostate volume will be performed. Furthermore, the patient will fill out an IPSS-questionnaire. After the appointment the drug/placebo will be handed out to the patient, which should be taken once a day five days prior to the operation, on the day of surgery and two days thereafter.

Study product:

The study specific product Tamsulosin 0.4mg, a tablet which is taken once a day per os five days prior to the operation and two days after the operation.

Control intervention:

Placebo.

Number of participants with rationale:

The number of participants projected for the entire study is 170. Thus 85 patients in the drug-treatment group and 85 patients for the placebo-treatment group.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
170

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
    • Kanton Graubünden
      • Chur, Kanton Graubünden, Switzerland, 7000
        • Kantonsspital Graubunden

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

- male adults undergoing elective hip- or knee arthroplasty

Exclusion Criteria:

  • women
  • underage patients
  • pre-existing treatment with tamsulosin or other prostate affecting medication
  • patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate or prostatectomy
  • patients with urethral strictures
  • patients with neurological bladder dysfunction
  • Known allergy to tamsulosin
  • Hypotensive disorder

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Tamsulosin
The study specific product Tamsulosin 0.4mg, a tablet which is taken once a day per os five days prior to the operation and two days after the operation.
Drug: Tamsulosin
The drug ist taken once a day per os five days prior to the operation and two days after the operation.
Other Names:
  • Pradif
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Oral Tablet
The placebo is taken once a day per os five days prior to the operation and two days after the operation.
Drug: Placebo Oral Tablet
The placebo ist taken once a day per os five days prior to the operation and two days after the operation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Occurrence of urinary retention
Time Frame: 48 hours postoperatively
The primary outcome is the occurrence of urinary retention during the 48 postoperative hours.
48 hours postoperatively

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Type of anaesthesia
Time Frame: 48 hours postoperatively
Did the patient undergo general anaesthesia, spinal anaesthesia or regional anaesthesia
48 hours postoperatively
Preoperative residual volume
Time Frame: Minimum 6 days before the planned operation.
Preoperatively the residual volume will be measured in milliliters (mL) by ultrasound.
Minimum 6 days before the planned operation.
Prostate size
Time Frame: Minimum 6 days before the planned operation.
Preoperatively the prostate volume will be measured in milliliters (mL) by ultrasound.
Minimum 6 days before the planned operation.
International prostate symptom score (IPSS).
Time Frame: Minimum 6 days before the planned operation.
The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) is based on the answers to seven questions concerning urinary symptoms and one question concerning quality of life. Each question concerning urinary symptoms allows the patient to choose one out of six answers indicating increasing severity of the particular symptom. The answers are assigned points from 0 to 5. The total score can therefore range from 0 to 35 (asymptomatic to very symptomatic).
Minimum 6 days before the planned operation.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Kantonsspital Graubünden

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Räto T. Strebel, PD Dr. med., Kantonsspital Graubunden

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 22, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 4, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 15, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 16, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 17, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 3, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 26, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • GR20192021

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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