Unexpected foreign body in the bladder of a spinal cord injured patient: A case report

Spinal cord injuries can lead to bladder dysfunction, often managed with clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). This case report highlights an unusual complication: a piece of the catheter itself breaking off and remaining in the bladder. A 40-year-old woman with a spinal cord injury, who used CIC, experienced increased spasticity and urinary leakage. Doctors discovered pieces of the catheter's 'insertion sleeves' in her bladder. This case emphasizes the importance of educating patients and caregivers about potential complications of CIC, including the possibility of catheter fragments remaining in the bladder.

• 1
  A rare complication of CIC was identified where 'insertion sleeves' from the catheter detached and remained in the bladder.
• 2
  The presence of these foreign bodies exacerbated the patient's symptoms, including increased spasticity and urinary leakage.
• 3
  Removal of the foreign bodies led to a noticeable improvement in the patient's condition, with a reduction in both urinary leakage and spasticity.