Intravesical application of a stable oxybutynin solution improves therapeutic compliance and acceptance in children with neurogenic bladder dysfunction

Purpose: To improve patient compliance with and acceptance of intravesical oxybutynin therapy for neurogenic bladder dysfunction we developed a stable oxybutynin solution that eliminates the complicated crushing procedure. Materials and Methods: From January 1995 to January 1997 we prospectively evaluated 15 children with a mean age of 6.1 years with persistent detrusor hyperactivity or significant side effects on oral oxybutynin therapy who received intravesically 0.2 mg./kg. (maximum 5 mg.) of a stable oxybutynin solution (5 mg./5 ml., pH 5.85) twice daily. Results: The oxybutynin solution remained stable up to 24 months. In 13 of the 15 children therapeutic compliance was excellent. Detrusor hyperactivity decreased and systemic side effects were absent or minimal. After 4 and 24 months mean cystometric bladder capacity plus or minus standard error of mean increased from 114 +/- 15.2 to 161 +/- 26.6 and 214 +/- 21.7 ml. (p <0.01), mean ratio of cystometric-to-expected bladder capacity increased from 0.88 +/- 0.12 to 1.18 +/- 0.14 and 1.24 +/- 0.16 (p <0.01), and end filling bladder pressure decreased from 57.0 +/- 7.1 to 25.6 +/- 4.4 and 30.8 +/- 4.4 cm. water (p <0.01), respectively. Conclusions: Intravesical instillation of a specially prepared oxybutynin solution is safe and reliable in children with persistent detrusor hyperactivity or side effects on oral oxybutynin therapy. Eliminating the complex crushing preparation of the solution by the child or parent has made this therapy easy to use and acceptable in the long term.