Clinical symptoms and surgical outcome in lumbar spinal stenosis patients with neuropathic bladder

We evaluated the clinical and radiologic features of patients with lumbar s pinal stenosis with neuropathic bladder. Based on cystometrogram analysis, the patients were divided into two groups-th neuropathic bladder (NB) group : the NB+ group (23 patients), and the nonneuropathic bladder group: the NB - group (14 patients). The symptom of incontinence was characteristic in pa tients in the NB+ group. Patients in the NB+ group had a more severe neurol ogic disturbance, compared with those in the NB- group. The more severe neu rologic disturbance was caused by the more striking finding of degenerative spinal stenosis associated with developmental narrowing of the spinal cana l. Decompressive surgery had a beneficial effect on the recovery of the neu rologic symptoms in both groups. Residual urine volume was reduced after su rgery. Postoperative cystometrogram was carried out in nine patients in the NB+ group. It showed a normal pattern in six patients; however, three pati ents remained in an underactive pattern. Furthermore, four patients still r equired clear intermittent self-catheterization after surgery.