Conservative Bladder Management and Medical Treatment in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Patients

This review discusses non-surgical methods for managing bladder problems caused by spinal cord injury (SCI). It focuses on treatments that are minimally invasive, safe, and effective for both bladder storage and emptying issues. The main goals of management are to help patients stay dry, improve their quality of life, prevent infections, and protect their kidneys. Regular check-ups, including ultrasound and urodynamic tests, are important for catching problems early. The article highlights that there's a need for more research into new, long-lasting, and less invasive treatments. It also emphasizes the importance of teamwork between urologists, kidney specialists, and rehabilitation doctors to take care of SCI patients.

• 1
  Conservative management of NLUTD includes physical therapy (pelvic floor muscle training), antimuscarinic drugs, desmopressin, β3-Adrenoceptor Agonists and neuromodulation.
• 2
  CIC remains the mainstay and minimally invasive treatment for neurogenic bladder. Suprapubic catheterization is more recommended for SCI patients rather than CIC and the least recommended are chronic indwelling catheters.
• 3
  NLUTD is common among SCI patients and has a pronounced effect on their health and QoL. Patients with NLUTD and inappropriate management can have urological complications including UTI, hydronephrosis, and renal failure.