[The impact of clean intermittent catheterization on bladder capacity and residual urine]

Clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is a well-established method for treatment of bladder emptying failure. There have been many reports on the therapeutical benefits of CIC as well as on its complications. However, no reports have appeared on the impact of CIC on urodynamic parameters. We therefore investigated 18 women with urinary retention on the basis of a hypocontractile detrusor muscle and performed uroflowmetry and cystometry and recorded residual urine. The women were treated with CIC for an average of 26 months (1-62 months). At the time of investigation five had stopped because residual urine was reduced to below 50 ml. These patients were young and infrequent voiders. Two had stopped because of complications. In 11 patients there were still significant amounts of residual urine. When bladder capacity was measured cystometrically, there was a reduction in bladder capacity in ten patients but an increment in 8 cases. Patient compliance was high despite a high frequency of symptomatic urinary infections (16/18). On the basis of this study we suggest that CIC is efficient in normalizing mild cases of large bladders with emptying failure only.