The use of intravesical gentamicin to treat recurrent urinary tract infections in lower urinary tract dysfunction.

AIMS: To assess the use of intravesical gentamicin to treat intractable recurrent urinary tract infections in lower urinary tract dysfunction. METHODS: A two-center retrospective cohort study of 27 patients treated with intravesical gentamicin was performed over a 2-year period. A treatment protocol was developed, reviewed, and accepted by the clinical effectiveness committee of both hospitals. Patients were taught to instill the gentamicin into the bladder on a nightly basis. Inclusion criteria included failure to respond to standard therapy, having six or more cultured confirmed UTIs over a 12-month period, or at least one hospital admission with sepsis. Serum gentamicin levels were taken after 7 days and the treatment was discontinued if the level was >1 mg/L. Patients were counseled about the limited evidence base for this treatment. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients have been treated with intravesical gentamicin for an average of 26 months. Seventeen were performing ISC, five had suprapubic catheters, three were voiding, and two had ileal conduits at the time of instituting treatment. All patients started on daily 80 mg gentamicin. Twenty two patients had less frequently occurring infections after starting intravesical gentamicin treatment. Six stopped the treatment and none had side effects as a result of the instillations. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that in a small group of adult patients who have multiple symptomatic UTIs refractory to conventional treatment, intravesical gentamicin is effective in reducing the frequency of infections. The treatment is well tolerated with no evidence of systemic absorption.