Electroacupuncture improves voiding function in patients with neurogenic urinary retention secondary to cauda equina injury: Results from a prospective observational study

Department

Health Promotion

Document Type

Article

Publication Source

Acupuncture in Medicine

Publication Date

2011-09-01

Volume

29

Issue

3

First Page

188

Last Page

192

Abstract

Objective To report the therapeutic effectiveness and feasibility of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment in patients with urinary retention which is caused by cauda equina injury and refractory to conventional conservative treatments. Methods From 9 August 2007 to 10 May 2010 prospective evaluation was carried out in 15 patients with neurogenic urinary retention secondary to cauda equina injury who underwent EA treatment at bilateral points BL32, BL33 and BL35. All patients received fi ve sessions of EA treatment each week for the fi rst 4 weeks, three sessions a week for the following 2 weeks, and then were followed up for 6 months. Voiding abilities, postvoiding residual urine volume (RUV) and maximum urinary fl ow rate (Qmax) were documented as outcome measures. Results After 6 weeks' EA treatment, 10/15 enrolled patients regained their self-voiding ability, and the mean postvoiding RUV for all patients decreased by 303.6±148.8 ml. In nine patients with documented data, Qmax increased by 11.0±6.3 ml/s. In nine patients, voiding diffi culties changed from severe to mild. At the end of 6 months' follow-up, 8/10 patients retained their regained self-voiding ability, whereas two patients had lost their voiding ability again. Conclusion The results indicate that the EA treatment may have longlasting therapeutic effectiveness in the management of neurogenic urinary retention secondary to cauda equina injury.

DOI

10.1136/aim.2010.003913

https://doi.org/10.1136/aim.2010.003913

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