1976 Volume 67 Issue 1 Pages 7-13
Intermittent self-catheterization needs only to carry a catheter and to catheterize himself using non-sterile technique at regular intervals. This method is supposed to be the best one for patients who spend the active social life. When family cooperation is available, this can be applied to the bed confined patients with more cleanliness, lesser complications and easier management than with indwelling catheter, cystostomy or other urinary diversions.
For patients with spinal cord injury, this technique is useful to promote an early return of bladder activity and catheter-free life. This method is also an ideal one for children with meningomyelocele, after the upper tract has been maintained carefully by indwelling catheter or cystostomy until they become able to catheterize by themselves. In these cases small capacity bladder may be enlarged using colon and severe urinary incontinence may be corrected by other operative procedure.
Twenty-six patients including one with the longest 17 years follow-up were treated by this technique. Upper tract deterioration was not observed and urine was maintained sterile in 39% of cases.
