Intermittent catheterization to obtain catheter-free bladder function in spinal cord injury.

The intermittent bladder catheterization technique has been proposed as an effective way of eliminating the need for an inlying. Foley catheter in patients with neurovesical dysfunction following spinal cord injury. In the study reported here, a group of 41 male patients with spinal cord injuries achieved a catheter-free state with this method. Of these 41 patients, 19 have been followed for 1 year. Data obtained from the 19 patients are presented here for comparison with data from other recent studies. In the present study, the patients' fluid intake was restricted to 2,000 cc daily. A detrusor reflex was triggered by lower abdominal percussion followed by a Credé maneuver. A 6-hour catheterization schedule was used unless autonomic dysreflexia required more frequent catheterizations. Ascorbic acid, methenamine mandelate and nitrofurantoin were routinely administered, and specific antibiotics were also given following trial off-catheter, depending on the results of urine cultures and sensitivity studies. All patients achieved a catheter-free state in an average time of 17.1 days; no late failures have occurred. Two patients developed vesicoureteral reflux, but no evidence of hydronephrosis was observed. At 1 year only 16% of the patients were found to have infected urine, as compared to 100% at initiation of the trial off-catheter.