Clinical studies into the necessity of an indwelling catheter for the management of cervical cord injury patients

From 1979 to 1991, 289 patients with cervical cord injury were managed during the acute phase at the Spinal Injuries Center. Fifty-three of them were managed with an indwelling catheter, comprising 16.0% of the male patients and 30.4% of the female patients. 73.6% of the group managed with an indwelling catheter were paralysed above C5 (fifth cervical cord). The incidence of absence of sacral sensation in the group was 74.2%. Complications of the urinary tract included VUR (6 cases) and acute pyelonephritis (5 cases). The reasons why patients needed to be managed with an indwelling catheter were a worsening of their general state (50.9%), absence of physical ability (20.8%) and urinary incontinence (18.8%). Patients managed with an indwelling catheter had severe paralysis with regard to both the level and the degree. These results suggest that all patients except for those with severe cervical cord injury can be managed without an indwelling catheter.