Residual urine volumes after intermittent catheterization in men with spinal cord injury.
METHODS
Prospective cross-sectional study.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate residual urine volumes after intermittent catheterization (IC) in men with spinal cord injury (SCI) and the effect of residual urine on the rate of symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs).


METHODS
Single SCI rehabilitation center in Switzerland.


METHODS
Sixty men experienced in IC (≥ 6 months) emptied their bladder twice by IC. Immediately after catheterization, residual urine was determined by ultrasonography. Personal characteristics and bladder diary details (annual UTI rate, catheter type) were also collected.


RESULTS
The median residual urine volume was 7.0 ml (lower quartile (LQ): 0.0, upper quartile (UQ): 20.3 ml). No residual urine was observed after 42% (n=50) of all catheterizations (n=120). Unsatisfactory residual volumes (that is, >50 ml) were observed after 9% (n=11) of all catheterizations. There was no significant (P=0.95) difference between the median residual urine volume of men with recurrent (>2 UTIs per year) UTIs (2.5 ml, LQ: 0.0, UQ: 29.3 ml) and the volume of those with sporadic (≤ 2 UTIs per year) UTIs (6.0 ml, LQ: 0.0, UQ: 20.0 ml).


CONCLUSIONS
Bladder evacuation by IC is an efficient method, resulting in zero or small residual urine volumes. The small residual urine volumes generally observed after IC do not predispose for UTIs.
Clinical Trial Unit, Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil, Switzerland.
J
J
Krebs
P
P
Bartel
J
J
Pannek
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D057928:Intermittent Urethral Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013557:Switzerland; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology*; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology