Lower urinary tract dysfunction, or abnormality of the bladder filling or emptying, in patients with a known neurologic condition.
Neurogenic Bladder
Lower urinary tract dysfunction, or abnormality of the bladder filling or emptying, in patients with a known neurologic condition. This can include diseases such as:
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Spinal Cord Injuiry
- Transverse Myelitis
- Parkinsons Disease
- Long-standing Diabetes Mellitus
- Myelomeningocele/Spina Bifida
Symptoms
Neurogenic Bladder Symptoms can vary depending on your specific neurologic problem.
Overactive Bladder/Urinary Incontinence
Symptoms of urgency (gotta go, gotta go), frequency (going too frequently), or bladder leakage
Difficulty Emptying the Bladder
This can be caused by a bladder that doesn't squeeze normally or a sphincter that doesn't open when you try to pee. You may feel like you have to strain or push or that you haven't emptied your bladder after you finish urinating.
Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections
Depending on your neurologic condition your symptoms will vary and may include pain when you urinate, pain in your lower abdomen/back, or increase in muscle spasms
Diagnosis
Symptoms can vary depending on your specific neurologic problem.
Medical History & Physical Examination
Other Possible Tests
- Urinalysis/Urine Culture – checking a urine sample for possible urinary tract infection
- Cystoscopy – using a small telescope to look inside the bladder
- Bladder Scan – an ultrasound of your bladder done after you urinate to see how much urine is left behind in your bladder
- Urodynamics – an “EKG” of your bladder to test how well your bladder fills and empties, this can include X-rays of the bladder
TREATMENT
Treatment is individualized to specific symptoms and patient goals.
Overactive Bladder Treatment
If symptoms include urgency, frequency or urgency incontinence. Treatment options can be reviewed on the Overactive Bladder page.
If those treatments fail, surgery can be done to use a piece of your bowel to make your bladder bigger. This is called a bladder augmentation or enterocystoplasty.
Improve Bladder Emptying
This can include self-catheterization, a catheter that stays inside your bladder, or surgery to create a new way to empty your bladder with a bag on your belly or through a hole you catheterize on your belly.
Surgical options:
-Suprapubic Tube Placement
-Sphincterotomy
-Continent Catherizable Channel (Monti/Mitrofonoff)
-Ileal Conduit Urinary Diversion
