In spinal cord injury, bladder sphincter relaxation is absent, leading to urinary retention.
Intermittent catheterization decreases the risk for urinary tract infections.
Considerations Immediately following acute spinal cord injury, spinal shock develops. Spinal shock can persist for several weeks, and is associated with an inability to retain urine or bowel contents. Although urinary incontinence may be present, bladder emptying is also dysfunctional, making some form of catheterization mandatory. When spinal shock ends, spinal reflexes begin to return. Bulbocavernal, bladder and rectal sphincter reflex are amont the first responses to appear and are generally signs that the spinal shock phase is ending.