Symptoms of bowel dysfunction and their management after spinal cord injury in a New Zealand centre.

Aim: To document the symptoms of bowel dysfunction, and how the bowels are managed, in a cohort of patients following a spinal cord injury. To relate these to the level of the spinal injury and to examine the relationship between bowel symptoms and bladder dysfunction.

Method: Participants were identified from the discharge data from the Burwood Spinal Unit, one of two national Spinal Units in New Zealand, in two two-year sets from 1-3 years post-injury and from 20-21 years post-injury. With informed consent, they completed a survey developed for symptoms and management using Survey Monkey. This was cross-related to the level of cord injury and the AIS Scale, and then to the latest urodynamic analysis.

Results: A total of 54 patients were included; data was incomplete in five patients. No specific relation was found between bowel sensation, bowel continence, bowel management, nor with bladder function.

Conclusion: Lack of correlation of patterns of bowel function with the level and severity of the cord lesion indicates the need to continue to individualise advice on bowel care according to symptoms.