Neuropathic bladder and spinal dysraphism.

Abstract

The association between spinal dysraphism, a congenital malformation, and a neuropathic bladder is well-known, but the diagnosis of the spinal lesion and the associated renal problems is often delayed. Four children referred with orthopedic problems and in whom the bladder abnormality proved to be the major disability are described. Despite widely differing vertebral involvement, all had lower motor neuron neurological deficits confined to lumbar and upper sacral segments. All had unstable, variably thickened, small bladders. The bladder abnormality is apparently the result of a partial lesion of lumbosacral innervation, and not of an upper motor neuron lesion.