Residual bladder dysfunction 2 to 10 years after acute transverse myelitis.
OBJECTIVE
Acute transverse myelitis (ATM) is a relatively rare condition in children. The recovery rate is reported to be generally complete. In the current study, the long-term urological outcome of children with ATM was assessed.


METHODS
The medical records of children with ATM admitted to Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, over the last 15 years, were reviewed.


RESULTS
The median age of the five children with ATM at the time of onset was 6 years (range = 2-12 years). The median length of follow up was 5 years (2-10 years). Four children recovered completely from paraparesis; two had no urinary symptoms with normal micturition. However, video-urodynamic studies 3 years after the acute onset revealed that four out of the five children, including one without any urinary symptom, suffered from residual bladder dysfunction - two from contractile neurogenic bladder and two from intermediate type of neurogenic bladder.


CONCLUSIONS
Residual bladder dysfunction is common in children suffering from ATM despite improvement of paraparesis and apparent lack of urological symptoms. Long-term follow up of urological function in these patients is recommended.
Cheng
W
W
Division of Paediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong Medical Centre, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, China.
Chiu
R
R
Tam
P
P
D000208:Acute Disease; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000150:complications*; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014563:Urodynamics