This article is a review of the related approaches in the field-- including the newest ones associated with a specific retrospective study on in-patients from our Clinic Division (preliminary results).
Study design: To objectively assess whether there are significant differences regarding some specific key biological and psychometric parameters related to the use of hydrophilic catheters vs. non-hydrophilic ones.
Materials and methods: We have evaluated the outcomes of long term IC using by comparatively using the afore-mentioned two different types of catheters, on two lots (totally 45 patients with mainly retention type of neurogenic bladder): 30 post SCI patients, using exclusively hydrophilic catheters and respectively, 10 same kinds of patients that used exclusively non-hydrophilic catheters. Additionally, there were 5 patients included in both lots as they have started IC with non-hydrophilic catheters and since 2008 they have switched on using hydrophilic ones. The methods used were primary data acquisition based on a unitary questionnaire and statistical analyses.
Results and discussion: Mainly: the patients that used exclusively hydrophilic type of catheters (median: "None") vs. those using exclusively non-hydrophilic type of catheters (median: "One every 4 months") presented: a significantly lower number of inflammatory episodes at scrotal level (p-value: 0.0001 WT), a significantly lower number of post/intra/inter catheterization bleeding episodes (p-value: 0.0001 WT), a very slightly lower number of UTI activations and expressed a significant higher satisfaction level (p-value <0.0001 WT). However, speculating a conceptual relation with the lower number of inflammatory episodes at scrotal level, it is to be thought that bigger lots of patients could provide, in this respect, significant results too. This study is to be continued, in order to further validate these preliminary, quite promising results, on bigger lots through the complex/ rigorous assessment methodology already used.
Keywords: hydrophilic catheters; intermittent catheterization; neurogenic bladder; spinal cord injury.