Neglected Neurogenic bladder in SCI persons

The lessons learned from the disasters of the World war-I and World War-II taught us that the neglect of urinary concerns was the most important cause of sickness and death in spinal cord injured persons. With the developments in our scientific understanding, urinary causes no longer are the major cause of grave sickness and death in the Western world today. However, the situation remains dismal and gloomy in India, where urological problems of the spinal cord injury patients remain grossly neglected. Urinary complications continue to be the leading cause of repeated sickness and poor health in over 75% of patients and the cause of death in 15% of spinal injury patients in India”.

We recently initiated a ‘Neglected Bladder survey’ and its observations has been extremely distressing. Even after a successful spine surgery done at various major spine centres, most spinal cord injury patients continue to struggle with the challenges of neglected urinary and sexual health concerns. They are not guided well for appropriate neuro-urological evaluation and management due to lack of awareness.

We frequently see SCI patients, who have for the first time visited any urologist after 5, 10, or even 15 years after their injury.  We really feel sorry for their years of misery and discomfort, which could have been totally prevented with the timely urological intervention.

“Neglected Neurogenic bladder” is the term we use for a SCI person who has not had even one urologist`s visit and basic urological evaluation in last one year or longer. This lack of care exacerbates our challenges when these patients present to us for treatment, long after their initial injury, in a state of multiple complications.

Through this campaign on “Neglected neurogenic bladder”, we aim to educate the vast community of nearly 1.5 million (15 Lakh) spinal cord injury persons in India and counting. This is huge quantum of urological and sexual health neglect. Healthy life begins with self-awareness and taking responsibility for your own health through education and guidance. Every SCI person needs to understand the necessity of maintaining a safe and balanced urinary system to maintain good health, to avoid unnecessary complications and to have a good quality of life.

It`s the ISIC mission to inform and educate SCI persons to come forward and seek timely and appropriate urological and sexual health care. Our internal research indicates that of the patients who visited us from various other hospitals, after their spinal surgery, 90% had never been guided or referred for any neuro-urological evaluation or management.”

ISIC`s groundbreaking initiative aims to provide comprehensive and dedicated neuro-urological care, inclusive of urological, sexual, and fertility care for the SCI persons. Neuro-urology, a specialized field focusing on the nervous control of the urinary system and the management of urological conditions caused by neurological disorders, such as spinal cord injuries, is at the heart of ISIC’s commitment to comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. Through the establishment of the dedicated Neuro-urology Department, ISIC aims to advance the field of neuro-urology in India and enhance the SCI patient`s health and quality of life outcomes. Besides education and awareness creation, protocol based scientific care and life long distance support through telemedicine, the neuro-urology department will offer state of the art medical, minimally invasive, surgical, and neurostimulation and neuromodulation therapeutic treatment options for the necessary indications.