Study design: Retrospective longitudinal study of short- and long-term urinary complications in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) patients managed at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI).
Setting: MCSI, Oswestry, UK.
Method: A total of 185 SCI patients were admitted to the MCSI between 1984 and 1989. Only 119 patients who met the following criteria were included: traumatic SCI, Frankel grade A-D, admission within 6 weeks post injury, regular annual follow-up or alternate year at MCSI, follow-up longer than 8 years. Follow-up ranged between 8 and 21 years with a mean of 17.7 (s.d.=1.98). The method of bladder drainage varied from the time of injury. Drainage was by indwelling urethral catheterisation (IndUC) before admission to the MCSI. Within 24 h of admission, assisted clean intermittent catheterisation (ACIC) by the nursing staff was commenced. This was followed by clean intermittent self catheterisation (CISC) once the patient was mobilised in the wheel chair and trained in the procedure. When detrusor reflex activity develops, patients with good hand function were given a choice between CISC and reflex voiding (RV). Patients with poor hand function are given the choice between RV, suprapubic catheters or ACIC during hospitalisation and after discharge. Only a minority of these patients choose ACIC following discharge. RV was supplemented occasionally by sphincterotomy. There were 99 males and 20 females (5:1). The age at the time of injury was 16-63 years with a mean of 29 (s.d.=12). Instead of a single method, a pattern of bladder management was analysed in the context of three continuous phases: Phase1 preadmission to MCSI. Phase2 during first hospitalisation at MCSI. Phase3 post discharge. In each phase, the patients were divided into those with and without complications. The complications were analysed in relation to the management and other relevant factors.
Results: The total complication rate at all stages was 62%. Complications of the upper urinary tract accounted for 22.6%. These results compared favourably with published material.
Conclusion: The sequential system of supervised bladder management commencing with brief IndUC followed by IntC and/or RV remains effective in keeping the complication rate relatively low in SCI patients, who undergo regular surveillance and timely intervention.
Sponsorship: The project was supported by SPIRIT, a charitable not for profit trust that supports teaching, training, clinical research and dissemination of knowledge about all aspects of spinal paralysis in the UK.