This study was designed as a pilot study to research a plan for urologic rehabilitation in the future. The subject of this study were 20 persons who receive aseptic intermittent catheterization at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Presbyterian Medical Center in Jeonju, during a 2 year period. The following data were obtained: 1) The subjects were 20 cases: 10 cases of spinal cord injury, 5 cases of spinal cord infection, 2 cases of spinal cord tumor, 2 cases of post-operative urinary problem and I case of diabetes mellitus according to the causes. 2) Of the 17 cases with spinal cord lesion, 9 were male and 8 female, showing a minimal difference in sex distribution. In age distribution, the majority 82.4% of the total were in their second and fifth decades. 3) According to the level of injury, the neurogenic bladder was spastic in all cases (total of 8) of cervical and thoracic cord injury and in 1 case out of 3 lumbar cord injuries. The remaining 2 cases were of the flaccid type. 4) According to cause, the required mean time for intermittent catheterization training to achieve independent bladder function was 24.4 days in spinal cord injury, 15.0 days in spinal cord infection, 7.0 days in post-operative bladder problem and 57 days in diabetes mellitus. 5) After our procedure was carried out, the only urologic complication was a mild urinary tract infection. Therefore this study would support the evidence that aseptic intermittent catheterization is one therapeutic procedure which may be applied to patients with functionally disturbed urinary bladder from various causes. |