Long-term Suprapubic cystostomy drainage in spinal cord injury patients

Thirty-one spinal cord injury(SCI) patients maintained on suprapubic cystostomy (SPC) for at least 5 years were evaluated by intravenous urography (IVU) and cystourethrography (CUG). Only patients who had had a normal IVU and no reflux before SPC were included in the study. The results showed that SPC maintained for more than 5 years causes as much renal damage as the intraurethral catheter retained for more than 20 years. In SCI patients, therefore, SPC should be used only temporarily after urethral, ureteric or bladder surgery.