Long term urinary prognosis of cervical cord injury patients

Abstract

We made a retrospective comparative study of 88 cervical cord injury patients concerning their long term urological prognosis. In all, 129 urinary complications have occurred in 54 cases (61.4%). The incidence of urinary complications was high in those with higher levels of injury (except C ˜ 4 lesions), a complete injury, a younger age of onset and a longer period after injury. Patients who had an indwelling catheter and a suprapubic cystostomy showed a higher rate of urinary complications. Urodynamically, there was no significant difference between the presence and absence of detrusor hyperreflexia. Those with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) also showed no difference compared to those without DSD. For the prevention of urinary complications in cervical cord injury patients, proper urinary management with clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC), or low pressure voiding is necessary in the early period after the onset of the injury. © 1994 International Medical Society of Paraplegia.