title: Intermittent catheterization in neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
abstract: Experience with intermittent catheterization in 449 patients with traumatic cord bladder during a 9-year period is presented. There were 317 patients who were discharged from the hospital free of the catheter and maintain balanced bladder function on long-term followup. Of these catheter-free patients 45 per cent have sterile urine at any one time. Intermittent catheterization is the method of choice to establish a catheter-free state and reduce infection among spinal cord injury patients. It is a useful conservative method in long-term therapy of patients with non-traumatic neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
mesh_terms: D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D006869:Hydronephrosis / Q000209:etiology; D007669:Kidney Calculi / Q000209:etiology; D008134:Long-Term Care; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications; D001744:Urinary Bladder Calculi / Q000209:etiology; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D014546:Urinary Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D014548:Urinary Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000209:etiology