Translating promising strategies for bowel and bladder management in spinal cord injury

Following a spinal cord injury (SCI), individuals often experience a loss of control over their bowel and bladder functions, which can significantly impact their independence and quality of life. Current research efforts do not adequately address this critical issue. A workshop was conducted to bring together experts in SCI to identify and prioritize treatment and research approaches. The workshop focused on identifying the most promising strategies for bowel and bladder management that could be translated into clinical practice within a 10-year timeframe. Participants included clinicians, researchers, industry representatives, and patient advocates, who collaborated to prioritize key issues and develop collective recommendations. The recommendations were organized into five thematic areas, ranging from immediately achievable steps, such as updating treatment guidelines, to areas requiring further investigation, like understanding bowel physiology and developing new technologies for sensory awareness and neuromodulation.

• 1
  There is a need to update and disseminate clinical care standards and guidelines for bowel and bladder management in SCI, incorporating patient priorities and preferences.
• 2
  Bowel physiology is not as well understood as urological systems, and further research is needed to identify targets for surgical, pharmacological, and neuromodulatory interventions.
• 3
  Restoring sensory awareness, such as bladder fullness or bowel distention, is a promising approach to prevent accidents and medical consequences, and development of diagnostic and monitoring systems is warranted.