[Course of neurogenic bladder dysfunction in patients with spinal cord injury under homeopathic treatment]. / Verlauf der neurogenen Blasenfunktionsstörung bei Patienten mit Rückenmarkschädigung unter klassisch homöopathischer Therapie.

BACKGROUND: Nearly all patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) suffer from neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Untreated NLUTD is a risk factor for renal damage and can significantly affect quality of life (QoL). Patients with SCI frequently use complementary medicine to alleviate symptoms, namely for urologic problems. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated whether homeopathic treatment influences objective urodynamic parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a retrospective study, urodynamic data of patients with NLUTD due to SCI who received constitutional homeopathic treatment by the consultants of our hospital were evaluated before initiation of homeopathic treatment and at the most recent follow-up. Modifications in urologic treatment were taken into account. RESULTS: Urodynamic results from 35 patients who underwent homeopathic treatment (14 women, 21 men, median age 46 years, tetraplegia: n = 14; paraplegia: n = 21) were available at both time points and could therefore be evaluated. In all, 20 patients used intermittent catheterization, 6 persons had an indwelling catheter, and 9 persons emptied their bladders without a catheter. There were no significant differences in the urodynamic parameters before and during treatment. Changes in urologic therapy correlated with significant improvement in urodynamic findings. CONCLUSIONS: As all patients were under urologic surveillance, and immediate urologic treatment was established if necessary, a retrospective study design proved not to be suitable to detect possible influences of homeopathic treatment on urodynamic parameters in patients with SCI. Thus, a prospective randomized study is essential.

[Use of Complementary Medicine in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer: 2 Case Reports]. / Komplementärmedizinische Therapie bei Patienten mit fortgeschrittenem Prostatakarzinom: 2 Fallbeispiele.

Despite optimised diagnosis and treatment, prostate cancer can only be cured in a specific subset of patients. Advanced prostate cancer may lead to complications that severely impair the patient's quality of life, e. g. recurrent intravesical blood clotting due to local tumor necrosis. We report the successful use of the homeopathic remedy Thlaspi bursa pastoris in 2 patients for whom conventional treatment was not sufficiently effective. These case reports imply that complementary or alternative medical treatment may be an efficient adjunctive treatment in patients with advanced prostate cancer.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in persons with spinal cord injury in Switzerland: a survey study.

STUDY DESIGN: Questionnaire-based survey study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the use of and the satisfaction with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Rehabilitation Center, Switzerland. METHODS: Between May and September 2014, all patients with chronic (>1 year) SCI attending the urologic outpatient clinic were asked to fill in a questionnaire regarding the use of CAM. RESULTS: Of the 103 participants (66 men and 37 women), 73.8% stated that they have used some form of CAM since SCI, with acupuncture and homeopathy being the two techniques that were used most frequently (31% each). The most common indications for CAM use were pain and urinary tract infections (UTIs). CAM was used supplementarily rather than exclusively. Overall satisfaction (85.1%) as well as satisfaction rates for the different indications (pain: 85%; UTI: 90.5%) and for the most frequently used forms of CAM (homeopathy: 90.6%; acupuncture: 78.1%) were high. CONCLUSION: According to our data, there is a demand for adjunctive CAM procedures for the treatment of medical complications by persons with SCI. CAM led to high satisfaction levels. On the basis of these results, future research should systematically evaluate the therapeutic potential of the most popular CAM techniques, for example, acupuncture and homeopathy, for the treatment of secondary medical complications of SCI.

[Paralytic ileus after ileocystoplasty in a patient with spinal cord injury: is homeopathy helpful?]. / Paralytischer Ileus nach Ileumaugmentation beim querschnittgelähmten Patienten : Kann Homöopathie helfen?

A paralytic ileus is a typical complication of ileocystoplasty of the bladder. In patients with a spinal cord injury, this risk is higher due to a preexisting neurogenic bowel dysfunction. We present the case of a paraplegic man who developed a massive paralytic ileus after ileocystoplasty and surgical revision. Conventional stimulation of bowel function was unsuccessful; only by an adjunctive homeopathic treatment was normalization of bowel function achieved. Adjunctive homeopathic therapy is a promising treatment option in patients with complex bowel dysfunction after abdominal surgery who do not adequately respond to conventional treatment.

Organ-preserving treatment of an epididymal abscess in a patient with spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: To describe a case of successful organ-preserving treatment of an epididymal abscess in a tetraplegic patient. SETTING: Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centre in Switzerland. METHODS: We present the clinical course of a patient with an epididymal abscess caused by multiresistant bacteria. As the patient declined surgical intervention, a conservative approach was induced with intravenous antibiotic treatment. As the clinical findings did not ameliorate, adjunctive homeopathic treatment was used. RESULTS: Under combined treatment, laboratory parameters returned to normal, and the epididymal abscess was rapidly shrinking. After 1 week, merely a subcutaneous liquid structure was detected. Fine-needle aspiration revealed sterile purulent liquid, which was confirmed by microbiological testing when the subcutaneous abscess was drained. Postoperative course was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: As the risk for recurrent epididymitis is high in persons with spinal cord injury, an organ-preserving approach is justified even in severe cases. Homeopathic treatment was a valuable adjunctive treatment in the above-mentioned case. Therefore, prospective studies are needed to further elucidate the future opportunities and limitations of classical homeopathy in the treatment of urinary tract infections.