Interventions for the Management of Bladder Spasms in Adults with Indwelling Urinary Catheters: A Nursing Practice–Oriented Systematic Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17533/udea.iee.v44n1e13Keywords:
Bladder spasm, Catheter-related bladder discomfort, Indwelling urinary catheter, Nursing interventionsAbstract
Objective. To critically synthesize evidence on pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions relevant to nursing practice for the prevention and management of bladder spasms and catheter-related bladder discomfort in adults with indwelling urinary catheters.
Methods. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and Scopus were searched for English-language studies published from 2015 to 2025. Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, and prospective studies involving adult patients with indwelling urinary catheters were included.
Results. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions were effective in reducing bladder spasms and catheter-related bladder discomfort. Non-pharmacological, nursing-led interventions—such as catheter balloon volume adjustment, neuromodulatory techniques, evidence-based targeted nursing care, structured nursing management models, and Traditional Chinese Medicine–based nursing approaches—demonstrated consistent reductions in symptom severity and improvements in patient comfort. Pharmacological therapies, including vitamin C, solifenacin, and ketamine, were primarily effective for short-term symptom relief. Overall, four studies were assessed as having low risk of bias, five as moderate risk, and one as high risk.
Conclusion. Nursing-led, non-pharmacological interventions play a central role in managing bladder spasms in patients with indwelling urinary catheters and should be prioritized in clinical practice. Further high-quality studies with standardized outcome measures are required to strengthen the evidence base.
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