Tamsulosin to prevent and shorten postoperative urinary retention after spine surgery
Official title: The Use of an Uroselective Alpha-1-antagonist to Reduce the Incidence and Duration of Postoperative Urinary Retention Following Spine Surgery
Run by Mayo Clinic · NCT07174349 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether taking tamsulosin around the time of spine surgery can reduce how often patients have urinary retention and how long it lasts.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 4 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 35 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Mayo Clinic Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Rochester, Minnesota) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | June 29, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07174349 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults scheduled for specified cervical or lumbar laminectomy or fusion procedures who are not already taking alpha-antagonists and do not have excluded urologic or severe organ disease are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients undergoing excluded spine procedures, those with myelopathy-related bladder dysfunction, prior prostatectomy/urologic surgery, current alpha-antagonist use, or severe liver/renal disease are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults undergoing specified cervical or lumbar decompression and fusion procedures will be randomized to receive a uroselective alpha-1 antagonist (tamsulosin) or matching placebo around the time of surgery. The study measures the incidence and duration of postoperative urinary retention, need for catheterizations, urinary tract infections, and hospital length of stay. Key exclusions include patients with preexisting bladder dysfunction, prior urologic surgery, current alpha-blocker use, significant liver or end-stage renal disease, and several excluded spine procedures. The trial is a Phase 4 interventional study conducted at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience fewer catheterizations and urinary infections and leave the hospital sooner after spine surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior trials and meta-analyses of alpha-blockers for postoperative urinary retention in various surgical populations have shown mixed but often favorable results, so the approach has some supporting evidence.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Cervical Laminectomy * Cervical Posterior Fusion * Cervical Anterior/Posterior Fusion * Lumbar Laminectomy * Lumbar Posterolateral Fusion * Lumbar Interbody Fusion Exclusion Criteria: * Cervical Anterior Discectomy and Fusion * Cervical Anterior Corpectomy * Cervical Posterior Discectomy * Cervical Foraminotomy * Lumbar Discectomy (METRx or Open) * Lumbar Foraminotomy * Lumbar Anterior Fusion * Myelopathy with bladder dysfunction * Patients currently taking an alpha-antagonist o The following drugs are alpha antagonists: alfuzosin, doxazosin, prazosin, terazosin, tamsulosin, and phenoxybenzamine. * Patients with history of allergy or sensitivity to tamsulosin or other alpha-antagonist * History of prostatectomy or urologic surgery involving the bladder or urethra * Severe liver disease or end-stage renal disease * Patients taking strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 o The following drugs are strong inhibitors of CYP3A4: ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, indinavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, and conivaptan. * Mental disability or prisoner * Pregnancy (for anesthesia purposes)
Where it's running
-
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Michelle Clarke, MD, PhD — Mayo Clinic
- Study coordinator: Neurologic Surgery Research Team
- Phone: 507-422-5673
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.