Epididymitis in children and adolescents on clean intermittent catheterisation

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V S Thirumavalavan1, P G Ransley

  • 1Hospital for Sick Children, London, UK.

European Urology
|January 1, 1992
PubMed

Insights

Clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC) in children and adolescents can lead to epididymo-orchitis, particularly in those with neuropathic bladders and frequent urinary tract infections. Long-term antibiotics may help prevent recurrent attacks.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Urology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nephrology

Background:

  • Clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC) is a common procedure for managing bladder dysfunction in children and adolescents.
  • Epididymo-orchitis is a potential complication, but its incidence and risk factors in this population require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of epididymo-orchitis in pediatric patients undergoing CIC.
  • To identify predisposing factors associated with the development of epididymo-orchitis in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of medical records for 119 children and adolescents on CIC.
  • Analysis of patient data including duration of CIC, bladder type, urinary tract infection (UTI) frequency, and antibiotic use.
  • Calculation of epididymo-orchitis incidence and identification of associated risk factors.

Main Results:

  • Epididymo-orchitis occurred in 10 out of 99 evaluable patients (1 episode per 10 patient years).
  • Higher incidence was observed in patients with neuropathic bladders and more than 2 symptomatic UTIs annually.
  • Prophylactic antibiotics did not decrease the incidence; however, long-term specific antibiotic therapy showed potential in preventing recurrent attacks.

Conclusions:

  • CIC is associated with a notable incidence of epididymo-orchitis in children and adolescents.
  • Neuropathic bladder and recurrent UTIs are significant risk factors for developing epididymo-orchitis.
  • While prophylactic antibiotics are ineffective, targeted long-term antibiotic treatment may be beneficial for preventing recurrent episodes.

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