Abstract
For the last three decades external sphincterotomy has been well accepted as a treatment for bladder outlet obstruction in patients with a spinal cord lesions. Recently, however, its value has been brought into question.
To assess the current place of this procedure in the treatment of the neuropathic bladder of spinal origin, we studied the outcomes of sphincterotomy in 32 patients.
Post-voiding residual urine volume decreased after surgery in 27 patients (84%), considerably in 22 (69%) of them. Clinical infection resolved in 14 out of 19 patients (74%), hydronephrosis disappeared in two out of three (66%), and vesicourethral reflux improved in three out of five (60%) and was cured in two (40%). Six of the patients (19%) were freed from catheterization, but two patients (6%) lost partial continence.
Sphincterotomy is an important tool in the treatment of spinal patients with bladder outlet obstruction and should be considered when the proper indications exist.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Catz, A., Luttwak, Z., Agranov, E. et al. The role of external sphincterotomy for patients with a spinal cord lesion. Spinal Cord 35, 48–52 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3100349
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3100349
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Contemporary Treatment of Detrusor Sphincter Dyssynergia: a Systematic Review
Current Bladder Dysfunction Reports (2018)
-
Neurogenic Bladder: from Diagnosis to Management
Current Urology Reports (2014)
-
Management of the Detrusor Sphincter Dyssynergia
Current Bladder Dysfunction Reports (2013)
-
Management of detrusor–external sphincter dyssynergia
Nature Clinical Practice Urology (2006)
-
Clinical and economic consequences of volume- or time-dependent intermittent catheterization in patients with spinal cord lesions and neuropathic bladder
Spinal Cord (2005)