Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Neurological Disorders

In Brief Urinary dysfunction is a common feature and may often be a presenting symptom of neurological conditions including spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and Parkinson disease. Such dysfunction leads to morbidity and decreased quality of life for patients with these conditions. The diagnosis and treatment of neurogenic urinary dysfunction is complex, dynamic, and multifaceted. An individualized management strategy, incorporating medical, educational, and psychosocial components, is required to achieve optimum outcomes for patients and their caregivers. Accurate diagnosis, referral for urological assessment, and selection of the most appropriate treatment are vital in ensuring that the individual patient has the best possible outcome and improvement in quality of life. In view of these facts, nurses play a key role in ensuring that patients with neurogenic urinary dysfunction receive the assessment and treatment they need. In addition, the nursing role in the monitoring of treatment and educational support for patients and their caregivers is a strong driver of successful management. Urinary dysfunction is a common sequelae or presenting sign or symptom in a host of neurologic conditions. Its diagnosis and treatment is a complex, multifactorial process. These authors provide an extensive overview of urinary dysfunction in the context of neuroscience nursing including a discussion of our role in treatment monitoring and patient/family education and support.