Combined bladder and bowel care for increased quality of life in spinal cord injury patients

Three experts met on stage at ISCoS in Dublin, and despite their different backgrounds and perspectives they all agreed on what's needed for future success in Spinal Cord Injury continence care.

Judging by the attendance at the ACCT talks lunch symposium on bladder and bowel synergies, healthcare professionals wish for development in continence care.

The speakers

Claes Hultling
Professor Karolinska Institutet and CEO Spinalis Foundation, Sweden.

Denise Tate
Professor Michigan Spinal Cord Injury System Research Program, US

Paula Muter
Urological Nurse Specialist, Spinal Injuries & Neuro-Rehabilitation Centre, Sheffield, UK

The speakers presented their thoughts in short talks and developed their ideas further in the group discussion. What kind of studies are needed to empathize this bladder and bowel combined approach? How could healthcare professionals be educated? Why is the technology behind?

Key take aways:

• To achieve a combined bladder and bowel approach in continence care, the bowel needs to be specifically targeted for a while.
  – That is, do not give up on the bladder but make sure that the bowel catches up.

• To get combined bladder and bowel management into clinical practice, healthcare professionals need to interact more with patients and with each other.

  – That is, let the patients lead the way and do not try to be an expert on everything. Instead be curious on others and seek to exchange experience.

• The future is likely to hold more advanced synergy solutions for bladder and bowel.
  –  That is, we have faith in tomorrow’s solution as the first step in understanding the science behind bladder and bowel synergies has been taken.