“Although the prevalence of chronic urinary retention (CUR) is unknown, it is common in certain neurologic conditions such as spinal cord injuries and multiple sclerosis(MS). Patients with CUR are often sent home with instructions to manage their urinary retention via clean intermittent catheterization (CIC). Little is known about the quality of individuals’ lives, or the barriers or complications they experience in implementing this intervention.”

Study Purpose: “To examine barriers, complications, adherence, and health-related quality of life in people using clean intermittent catheterization (CIC).”

Conclusion:  “The most common barrier to performing CIC was inadequate access to bathrooms equipped with sinks, shelves, and adequate space. For persons with MS, skeletal muscle spasticity was identified as a barrier that often rendered participants dependent on others to perform CIC. Urinary tract infection remains the number 1 complication for people using CIC. This study identified both personal and environmental barriers that might have increased the risk for UTI. Additional research is needed to better characterize the lived experiences of persons who manage urinary retention via CIC. Future studies should also examine the relationships among UTIs, CIC frequency, frequency of catheter reuse, and catheter construction.”

Please click here to see a video presentation of this article by: Leslie Saltzstein Wooldridge, GNP, CUNP, BCIA-PMD, Director of Mercy Health Bladder Clinic , Muskegon, MI

Please click here for the abstract

J WOCN ■ January/February 2013, pages 83-89