Clinical guidelines of patient-centered bladder management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction due to chronic spinal cord injury – Part 3: Surgical treatment in chronic spinal cord injured patients

Abstract

This article reports the current evidence and expert opinions on patient-centered bladder management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) among chronic spinal cord injured (SCI) patients in Taiwan. The main problems with SCI-NLUTD are failure to store, empty, or both. The management of SCI-NLUTD should be prioritized as follows: (a) preservation of renal function, (b) freedom from urinary tract infection, (c) efficient bladder emptying, (d) freedom from indwelling catheters, (e) patient agreement with management, and (f) avoidance of medication after proper management. The management of NLUTD in SCI patients must be based on urodynamic findings rather than neurologic evaluation inferences. It is important to identify high-risk patients to prevent renal functional deterioration in those with chronic SCI-NLUTD. Urodynamic studies should be performed on patients with SCI on a regular basis, and any urological complications should be adequately treated. When surgery is required, less invasive and reversible procedures should be considered first, and any unnecessary surgery in the lower urinary tract should be avoided. The most important aspect of treatment is to improve the quality of life in SCI patients with NLUTD. Annual active surveillance of bladder and renal function is required to avoid renal function deterioration and urological complications, particularly in high-risk SCI patients.