OBJECTIVE: A spinal cord injury (SCI) is damage to the spinal cord either from trauma, loss of its normal blood supply, or compression from tumor or infection. In this study we focused on alterations in the bladder tissue with angiogenic and apoptotic aspects after spinal cord injury. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty Wistar Albino rats were categorized as control and SCI groups. At T7-T9 vertebras, a steel rod was dropped from 10 cm to create a spinal cord injury under anesthesia. Rats were decapitated and spinal tissue was processed to measure malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and myeloperoxidase (MPO). RESULTS: MDA, MPO, epithelial degeneration, vascular dilation, inflammation, VEGF, and APAF-1 expressions in the SCI group were statistically higher than those in the control group. GSH content of the SCI group was statistically lower than that in the control group. In the hematoxylin-eosin–stained sections of the control group, normal histology was observed in bladder tissue. In the SCI group, degeneration epithelial cells, thinned epithelium, increased fibrosis, dilated and congested blood vessels, and hyperplastic endothelial cells were observed. In the control group, VEGF expression was slightly observed in some epithelial cells and vascular cells. In the SCI group, VEGF expression was increased in inflammatory and vascular endothelial cells. For APAF-1 expression, the control group showed no expression. In the SCI group, APAF-1 expression was positive in degenerated epithelial cells and connective tissue cells. CONCLUSION: It is thought that the urination reflex was affected due to increased inflammation in the bladder tissue, leading to alterations in the regulation and function of the muscles. © Science Printers and Publishers, Inc.