title: Bladder irrigation or irritation?
abstract: Exfoliation rates of urothelial cells following bladder irrigation were studied in patients with long-term indwelling catheters and chronic urinary tract infections (UTI). The irrigations were associated with an increased shedding of urothelial cells. Ultrastructural studies of these cells demonstrated increased disruption when compared with those obtained from normal subjects without catheters or chronic infection. The findings suggest that bladder irrigation further damages the already disrupted urothelium, which may in turn increase the predisposition of the bladder to the recurrent infections, commonly associated with patients who have indwelling urinary catheters. Bladder irrigation methods and the indications for their use require reassessment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Rigby
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Woodhouse
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009677:Noxythiolin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013890:Thiourea; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009677:Noxythiolin; D013890:Thiourea; D002710:Chlorhexidine