Quality of life and urological morbidity in tetraplegics with artificial ventilation managed with suprapubic or intermittent catheterisation

Study design: Mono-centric, retrospective study. Objective: Analysis of correlation between bladder management and age in respirator-dependant high-tetraplegic patients. Additionally suprapubic catheter (SPC) and intermittent catheterisation (IC) were reviewed concerning urological complications and quality of life (QoL). Setting: Level 1 trauma centre. Methods: A QoL questionnaire ‘International Consultation on Incontinence’ (ICIQ-SF) was sent to 56 tetraplegic respirator device-dependant (RDD)-spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Their scores concerning urological morbidity were reviewed. For analysis reasons they were divided in three groups: SPC, IC and others. Results: SPC 38, IC 12 and others 6 patients. Significant difference in age (SPC vs IC=49.9 vs 31.8 years) was observed but no disparity in gender. Within a follow-up period 2–26 years (median 8 years) significant urological complications in patients with IC ( P