Compliance with clean intermittent catheterization in spinal cord injury patients: a long-term follow-up study

Abstract

Retrospective review of medical notes. To evaluate spinal cord injury (SCI) patients' compliance with bladder emptying method at long-term period after discharge and determine the frequency of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Inpatient rehabilitation unit of tertiary research hospital. Bladder management method of 164 new spinal cord injured patients were noted at discharge from rehabilitation center and follow-up. Patients were questioned whether they continued the initial bladder emtying method at follow-up, reasons for discontinuation and the history of treated UTIs. The most common bladder management method at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation center was clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) (63.4%). At follow-up 42% of the patients who used CIC changed their bladder emptying method. Rate of reverting to urethral indwelling catheter (IC) was 21.4%. Reasons for the patients who switched to IC application were recurrent UTIs, incontinence, nephrolithiasis, dependence on care givers and urethral strictures. For all patients, the frequency of treated UTI in 1 year was 38.8%. The number of UTIs were highest in patients using IC. Many factors, including urological complications, patient's preference, living environment, life-style and level of injury should be considered in deciding the method of bladder management in SCI patients. The CIC is a reliable and effective method in selected SCI patients. Despite changes in bladder emptying method, CIC was the most preferred method at long-term follow-up. Education of patients on catheterization technique and periodic follow-up is necessary to maintain patient compliance.