Study design: Cross-sectional study.
Objectives: To compare quality of life (QoL) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who underwent overactive detrusor treatment by botulinum toxin (BT) versus augmentation cystoplasty (AC).
Setting: France.
Methods: Prospective and descriptive study: Patients with a refractory overactive bladder due to SCI treated by at least two successive injections of BT or by AC. QoL was assessed using Qualiveen-30 (Q30). Clinical data and urodynamic parameters were collected.
Results: Thirty patients were included between March 2013 and March 2014: 14 in arm 1 (BT injections) and 16 in arm 2 (AC). Mean postoperative time after AC was 9.94 years. Mean BT injections already performed was 6.36. Qol was significantly lower in arm 1-Q30 score 1.625 versus arm 2-Q30 score 1.077 (P=0.037). Continence control was significantly higher in arm 2. Fourteen patients were completely continent (87.5%) in arm 2, whereas only 6 (42.3%) were continent in arm 1 (P=0.0187). Urinary infection, reflux, diverticula and stones were almost at a similar occurrence level.
Conclusions: QoL was found to be higher with an AC compared with BT injections. Long-time intervals between two injections and advantages specific to AC might explain in part these findings.