Pitfall in Diagnosis of Diabetic "Cord Bladder"

This is a report of a case in which urinary and fecal incontinence were thought initially to be due to diabetic "cord bladder" but proved to be caused by an intraspinal tumor compressing the conus medullaris. The patient also had a peripheral neuritis which undoubtedly was related to his diabetes. Urinary and fecal incontinence are uncommon complications of diabetes. That they do exist as apparent complications is attested to by two published autopsy reports and other individual but unconfirmed reports. When clinical doubt exists in such instances of incontinence, radiologic contrast studies are usually necessary.