Korean J Urol.  2009 Dec;50(12):1225-1230.

Effect of Level of Spinal Cord Injury and Urinary Catheterization on Sexual Function and Activity in Male Patients with Upper Motor Neuron Injury

• Cha WH
• Kim KH
• Seo YJ
• Lee KS

Abstract

PURPOSE
We investigated the effect of the level of spinal cord injury and urinary catheterization on sexual function and activity in male patients with upper motor neuron (UMN) injury.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We reviewed patient's chart, radiologic and urodynamic study. We interviewed patient's sexual activity according to educational status, economic and marriage state, occupation, duration of spinal cord injury and pattern of voiding. A total of 114 male patients with neurogenic bladder due to UMN injury were included in the study. Group 1 consisted of 33 patients who underwent a clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) regimen and group 2 consisted of 81 patients with a suprapubic catheter, condom catheter, or Foley catheter. A detailed sexual behavior was taken for all patients to complete a questionnaire including the 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5).
RESULTS
Satisfaction with intercourse (p=0.037) and total score (p=0.032) on the IIEF-5 were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2. The other items on the IIEF-5 did not differ significantly between the groups. When the subjects were stratified according to level of spinal cord injury, 8 patients (18.6%) with cervical cord injury had no sexual activity, whereas 24 patients (33.8%) with non-cervical-cord injury did (p=0.048). Patients with no sexual activity were 12.1% (4/33) of the patients in the CIC group and 34.6% (28/81) of the patients who underwent other regimens (p=0.016).
CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that level of spinal cord injury and urinary catheterization may influence the sexual activity of male patients with UMN injury. Our results suggest that the CIC regimen had a positive effect on the sexual activity of these patients.

Keyword

Spinal cord injuries; Urinary catheterization; Erectile dysfunction

MeSH Terms

Catheters
Condoms
Educational Status
Erectile Dysfunction
Humans
Intermittent Urethral Catheterization
Male
Marriage
Motor Neurons
Occupations
Sexual Behavior
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord Injuries
Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic
Urinary Catheterization
Urinary Catheters
Urodynamics

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