Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2022 Dec 1;35(6):753-760.
doi: 10.1097/WCO.0000000000001122. Epub 2022 Oct 27.

Urogenital dysfunction following neurotrauma

Udit Saraf  1 , Anand Kumar A  1 , Jalesh N Panicker  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Urogenital dysfunction following neurotrauma

Udit Saraf et al. Curr Opin Neurol. .

Abstract

Purpose of review: Trauma affecting the nervous system can have widespread consequences, depending on the location and severity of injury. The sensorimotor and cognitive deficits due to neurotrauma have been studied extensively. Although the overall mortality due to neurotrauma has reduced, the disability and morbidity due to neurotrauma has not significantly reduced and focus on urogenital disturbances in these patients has been limited. This article reviews the limited evidence and scientific literature on this topic.

Recent findings: Lower urinary tract symptoms are commonly reported in patients with neurotrauma, both acutely and over the long term. Multiple medical and surgical approaches are available for managing bladder dysfunction in these patients. Sexual dysfunction and changes in sexual behaviour are reported by patients with neurotrauma and are usually multifactorial. Treatment options for sexual dysfunction are available and their management requires a holistic approach.

Summary: Urogenital dysfunction contributes significantly to the overall functional outcome and impaired quality of life in patients with neurotrauma. A better understanding of the mechanisms behind the urogenital abnormalities is needed for efficient management and treatment.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Panicker JN, Fowler CJ, Kessler TM. Lower urinary tract dysfunction in the neurological patient: clinical assessment and management. Lancet Neurol 2015; 14:720–732.
    1. de Groat WC, Yoshimura N. Mechanisms underlying the recovery of lower urinary tract function following spinal cord injury. Prog Brain Res 2006; 152:59–84.
    1. Lu J, Cheng B, Lin L, Yue S. Urodynamic findings in patients with complete and incomplete suprasacral spinal cord injury at different stages after injury. Ann Palliat Med 2021; 10:3171–3178.
    1. Taweel WA, Seyam R. Neurogenic bladder in spinal cord injury patients. Res Rep Urol 2015; 7:85–99.
    1. Chua K, Chuo A, Kong KH. Urinary incontinence after traumatic brain injury: incidence, outcomes and correlates. Brain Inj 2003; 17:469–478.

MeSH terms