Urological follow-up of 99 spinal cord injured patients initially managed by intermittent catheterisation.

99 spinal cord injured patients who were initially managed by intermittent catheterisation have been followed up for an average of 36 months (6 to 81 months) since their discharge from hospital. The urological results in this group of patients have been compared with those of 2 series in which indwelling catheters were used in the initial period. It appears that initial bladder management by intermittent catheterisation allows a higher percentage of patients to become catheter-free and gives a lower incidence of urological complications. The average incidence of re-infection of the urinary tracts and the condition of the upper tracts compares favourably with those reported after management by indwelling catheterisation.