People with spinal cord injuries are recovering better, in part, because of safer bladder-emptying devices, effective antibiotics, and the improved balance between medicine and surgery techniques. However, injury to the central nervous system diminishes the ability of the natural defenses to infection. Besides urinary tract infections, this group often experiences damage, abscesses, calculus formation, and other complications in the urinary tract from the weakened immune system.

Another infection danger comes from catheter use. Thus, catheters should be used off and on in short-term insertions. Other ways to cut down on infection are using improved bladder emptying devices, eliminating high pressure of the urinary bladder, and appropriately disinfecting the urine collection bag and parts. Frequent rinsing with tap water or solutions using hydrogen peroxide or hypochlorite sodium is also effective for disinfection.

"Many spinal cord-injured patients succumb to infection despite every attempt at prevention, and the symptoms are subtle. Pyuria, for example, is a pertinent finding but correlates poorly with symptoms. Sometimes autonomic dysreflexia or urine malodor is the only signs of urinary tract infection. After significant bacteriuria is established, it is incumbent on the physician to determine its source." (p.32)

EndNotes

#2032

Anderson, R.U. (1988, September). Urologic complications in spinal cord-injured patients. Urology 32(3), 31-32.