Cystometrographic patterns in predicting bladder function after spinal cord injury

The cystometrographic patterns together with and sphincter electromyograms of 62 patients with recent spinal cord injury wer analysed. Four main patterns could be distinguished. The patients with well-developed detrusor reflex gained easy emptying of the bladder significantly more often than those with supranuclear injury but weak or unsustained detrusor contractions, or those with mixed spinal lesions. The patients with mixed lesions and low compliance bladders had the most severe incontinence problems. One fourth of the total series had various degrees of upper tract dilatation in their first urogram, and these changes occurred more often in patients with high detrusor activity. Urinary tract infections occurred in all patients but less often in those with areflexic bladders. This group of patients was also most suitable for intermittent self-catheterisation.