&NA;Two women developed total urinary retention following vaginal operations for benign conditions. Unsuccessful treatments included continuous catheter drainage, cholinergic drugs, and intermittent self‐catheterization. Retention persisted for 9 years in 1 patient and for 10 weeks in the second. Vesical hypotonicity was demonstrable in both cases. Neither had visible bladder outlet obstruction. Neurologic derangement was excluded by the presence of vesical sensation, intact anal reflexes, and normal perineal sensation. Y‐V cystoplasty resulted in the return of spontaneous voiding in each patient. The operation, which interposed a broad‐based V‐shaped flap of bladder muscle between the distracted edges of the transected bladder neck, is described in detail. Followup in excess of 2 years in each case indicates no loss of efficient voiding. Urinary retention following vaginal operations is attributed to loss of bladder outlet elasticity and secondary detrusor hypotonicity resulting from overdistention.