Effectiveness of Early Neurogenic Bladder Rehabilitation in Spinal Cord Injured Patients With Neurogenic Overactive Bladder

Objectives: The objective of this study was to compare the results of early and late bladder rehabilitation performed for spinal cord injured patients with NOAB.Materyal and Methods: In our study 39 spinal cord injured patients with NOAB were evaluated prospectively. The patients who were initiated early bladder rehabilitation after SCI were considered as group 1 (n=14) and the patients who were applied late bladder rehabilitation as group 2 (n=25). The demographic features of the patients, duration of SCI, bladder emptying method and intervals, the number of patients with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI), the usage of anticholinergic drugs were evaluated. Functional and cystometric bladder capacities, maximum detrusor pressure and the distribution of febrile UTI in both groups were compared initially and also at the 6th month of the study.Results: According to initial and 6th month evaluation functional and cystometric capacities of the patients in group 1 were significantly higher than group 2, while maximum detrusor pressure were significantly lower. According to initial evaluation, the number of patients with febrile UTI in group 2 were significantly much more, whereas there was no difference between the groups at 6th month of evaluation.Conclusions: It is possible to get successful results and to decrease probable complications in SCI patients with NOAB by beginning proper and effective bladder rehabilitation in the early period. Multidiciplinary team work and education of patient have important role in acquiring these results.