Surgery Recovery Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) After Surgery By Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN LinkedIn Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She has experience in primary care and hospital medicine. Learn about our editorial process Updated on September 14, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by David Hampton, MD Medically reviewed by David Hampton, MD David Hampton, MD, is currently an Assistant Professor of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at the University of Chicago and is board certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Fact checked Verywell Health content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Nick Blackmer Fact checked by Nick Blackmer LinkedIn Nick Blackmer is a librarian, fact-checker, and researcher with more than 20 years’ experience in consumer-oriented health and wellness content. Learn about our editorial process Print ntmw/Getty Images If you had surgery and now have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may wonder whether these two things related. It is entirely possible that your surgery may have played a role in your urinary tract infection. Why UTI Is Common After Surgery Many patients have a catheter inserted into their bladder to drain urine during and/or after their procedure. The presence of a catheter, even a temporary catheter, increases the risk of contracting a urinary tract infection. A urinary tract infection after having a urinary catheter inserted is called a catheter-associated urinary tract infection, or CAUTI. Hospital staff work hard to prevent this type of infection, but there are times when a catheter is necessary, especially when the patient cannot urinate after surgery. A condition called urinary retention is also common after anesthesia, and can increase the likelihood of a UTI. Urinary retention means that the bladder does not fully empty during urination, leaving urine sitting in the bladder longer than is normal. Urinary retention can be minor, leading to urinary frequency, or more serious, requiring catheterization and additional treatment. What to Do If You Can't Urinate After Surgery Risk Factors for UTI After Surgery There are additional factors that may play a role in a UTI after surgery, including the age of the patient (older patients are more likely to have this complication), sex (females are most likely to have a UTI), type of surgical procedure, and other conditions that you may have. Diabetes increases the risks of a UTI, as do surgeries that are done on or near part of the urinary tract, such as prostate surgery. Additionally, being immobilized after surgery will increase the probability of a UTI. Immobility is common after trauma and orthopedic procedures including some joint surgeries. Having surgery on any part of the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra are also a risk factor for a urinary tract infection. Urinary Complications After Surgery 3 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frequently asked questions about catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Brouwer TA, van Roon EN, Rosier PFWM, Kalkman CJ, Veeger N. Postoperative urinary retention: risk factors, bladder filling rate and time to catheterization: an observational study as part of a randomized controlled trial. Perioper Med. 2021;10(1):2. doi:10.1186/s13741-020-00167-z Alvarez AP, Demzik AL, Alvi HM, Hardt KD, Manning DW. Risk factors for postoperative urinary tract infections in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. Adv Orthop. 2016;2016:7268985. doi:10.1155/2016/7268985 By Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FN Jennifer Whitlock, RN, MSN, FNP-C, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner. She has experience in primary care and hospital medicine. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit