Urodynamic Evaluation of Neurogenic Bladder in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury within 6 months Post-Injury: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Study

Study Design Retrospective cross-sectional survey of Korean patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) within 6 months post-injury. Objective To evaluate urodynamic parameters and identify unfavorable urodynamic findings in patients with neurogenic bladder due to spinal cord injury (SCI) during the acute to subacute stages of the disease based on the post-injury time interval. Setting National Rehabilitation Center, Seoul, Korea Methods Data from urodynamic tests performed on SCI patients within 6 months post-injury were collected. Based on the time interval from injury to testing, the recruited patients were divided into three groups: 0–90 days, 91–135 days, and 136–180 days. Based on these groups, urodynamic test parameters and incidence of unfavorable urodynamic findings (detrusor overactivity [DO], high detrusor pressure exceeding 40 cmH₂O during the filling phase, low compliance of the bladder, underactive or acontractile bladder, and detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia [DSD]) were compared. Results Analysis of urodynamic study (UDS) findings in 191 patients with acute to subacute SCI, revealed that unfavorable urodynamic findings were observed within 3 months after injury in both complete and incomplete SCI. The UDS test results and incidence of unfavorable outcomes based on the interval between injury and examination showed no significant statistical differences over time. Conclusion The urodynamics of SCI patients suggest that unfavorable urodynamic results are common in the acute to subacute stages of SCI.