Have you ever heard of neurogenic bladder? This is the inability to control the act of urinating due to a change in bladder function, generally caused by diseases of the peripheral and/or central nervous system. This variation can lead to numerous associated complications, requiring multidisciplinary attention to the health of these people, as well as in-depth research to better adapt available treatments.
With the aim of establishing scientific partnerships and developing multicenter research protocols, the Santos Dumont Institute (ISD) and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) promoted on the 6th and 7th of October the Journey – Multidisciplinary Intervention in Neurogenic Bladder.
Around 70 professionals, researchers, students, parents and patients were present at the event held at Anita Garibaldi Health Education and Research Center (CEPS), in Macaíba-RN. Lectures given by doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, nurses and nutritionists addressed topics associated with early detection and multidisciplinary care for people with neurogenic bladder.
According to the Coordinator of the Day and Health Teaching Activities at CEPS/ISD, Lilian Lisboa, there is a lot shortage in Rio Grande do Norte in global care for patients with this disorder. “Professionals from different specialties carry out research, study scientific literature and carry out therapeutic approaches in public or private offices, in isolation. The difference of our event was to bring together and integrate these specialists to discuss and facilitate municipal and interstate partnerships that result in effective management of Neurogenic Bladder”, informs Lisboa.
One of the main speakers at the event, the urologist at University of Pernambuco Adriano Almeida Calado, explained that a major challenge for those who work in the care of people with Neurogenic Bladder is rehabilitate bladder function of the patient, making him urinate as close as possible to his normal urination habit. “Conventional treatments seek to reinsert the patient into life in society, but they do not address the real problem, which is making the bladder work again. Lines of research such as neuromodulation It is brain-machine interface Maybe they will actually bring the answers we need”, explains Calado. Both lines are studied in Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience (IIN-ELS), from ISD.
Multidisciplinary assistance serves the family
An effective treatment for people suffering from Neurogenic Bladder includes joint work of several professionals. It is necessary to have a urologist, coloproctologist to evaluate intestinal issues that are closely related to the bladder, a physiotherapist, nurse, nutritionist and psychologist.
Psychology, by the way, is an extremely important factor not only for the patient's mental health, but also for that of the family and caregivers. During her talk at Jornada – Multiprofessional Intervention in Neurogenic Bladder, CEPS/ISD Psychologist Fernanda Rebouças Valente explained that this disorder usually impacts people close to the patient, especially the mother who tends to take on full care of this child. “The disease forces the caregiver to deal with the person’s genitals and excrement and it is difficult for a mother to entrust this care to third parties, including the father”, says Valente.
The Journey held at CEPS represents a first step in the establishment of joint research carried out by the participating groups. It also brings progress in the development of the Neurogenic Bladder clinic as a multidisciplinary practice laboratory, with well-established protocols for assisting patients and their families.
