PURPOSE: The 1-hour pad-weighing test was compared with the cystourethrogram as a method for the preoperative diagnostic assessment of female stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 80 women, with stress urinary incontinence that had undergone anti-incontinence surgery, were reviewed. The 1-hour pad weighing test, proposed by the International Continence Society in 1988, was performed for the objective assessment of the degree of incontinence in all patients. History taking, physical examinations and cystourethrograms were also performed and the correlation between the 1-hour pad-weighing test and the results from the above procedures evaluated. RESULTS: The urinary leakage was examined in all patients during the 1-hour pad-weighing test, with an average urine loss of 50g (5-150). In 13 patients, no urinary leakage was demonstrated during straining on the cystourethrogram. Thus, compared with the 1-hour pad-weighing test, the cystourethrography was less sensitive in the diagnosis of incontinence, with a 16% false negative rate. The bladder neck position and degree of descent were measured on the cystourethrogram during resting and straining. The position of the bladder neck averaged 2.2 (0.5-6.0) and 4.2cm (1.0-8.0) from the upper margin of the symphysis pubis at rest, and during straining, respectively. The difference between these two parameters averaged 2.0cm (0.2-4.0). The number of type III stress urinary incontinence patients, based on the Blaivas classification, was 9. There were statistically significant correlations between the 1-hour pad-weighing test and the bladder neck positions during resting (r=0.296, p=0.008) and straining (r=0.356, p=0.001) on the cystourethrograms. There was a statistically significant difference between the 1-hour pad-weighing test and bladder neck opening during resting (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It seems that the 1-hour pad-weighing test is an easy, inexpensive and non-invasive method for the preoperative diagnostic assessment of female stress urinary incontinence.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Female* ; Humans ; Incontinence Pads ; Neck ; Physical Examination ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence* ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress

PURPOSE: Lateral cystourethrography is a radiological method used in the diagnosis and prediction of the degree of stress urinary incontinence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of lateral cystourethrography in women with stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 76 women who underwent both cystourethrography and urodynamic study were included. The proximal urethral support was evaluated by lateral cystourethrography at rest and during voiding, with the images anatomically superimposed to measure the degree of bladder base descent and the posterior urethro-vesical angle (PUV angle). The urethral diameter was measured at 1cm below the bladder neck. Urodynamic assessments, included valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP), maximal urethral closing pressure (MUCP) and functional urethral length, were compared with the parameters of the cystourethrography. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between the VLPP and the urethral diameter (p<0.05) only. Other parameters from the two methods showed no significant correlations. When the patients were divided into three subgroups, according to their VLPP (<60, 60-90, >90cmH2O), and into two subgroups, according to their MUCP (< or =25, >25cmH2O), the mean values of bladder base descent and PUV angle among the subgroups showed no significant correlation. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, the lateral cystourethrography is suggested to not be appropriate for the diagnosis and prediction of stress urinary incontinence.
Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Neck ; Retrospective Studies ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence* ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; Urodynamics* ; Urography

PURPOSE: Maintaining urinary continence at stress requires a competent urethral sphincter and good suburethral support. Sphincter competence is estimated by measuring the maximal urethral closure pressure at rest. We aimed to study the value of a new urodynamic measure, the urethral closure pressure at stress (s-UCP), in the diagnosis and severity of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: A total of 400 women without neurological disorders were included in this observational study. SUI was diagnosed using the International Continence Society definition, and severity was assessed using a validated French questionnaire, the Mesure du Handicap Urinaire. The perineal examination consisted of rating the strength of the levator ani muscle (0–5) and an assessment of bladder neck mobility using point Aa (cm). The urodynamic parameters were maximal urethral closure pressure at rest, s-UCP, Valsalva leak point pressure (cm H₂O), and pressure transmission ratio (%). RESULTS: Of the women, 358 (89.5%) were diagnosed with SUI. The risk of SUI significantly increased as s-UCP decreased (odds ratio [OR], 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.88–0.98). The discriminative value of the measure was good for the diagnosis of SUI (area under curve>0.80). s-UCP values less than or equal to 20 cm H2O had a sensitivity of 73.1% and a specificity of 93.0% for predicting SUI. The association between s-UCP and SUI severity was also significant. CONCLUSIONS: s-UCP is the most discriminative measure that has been identified for the diagnosis of SUI. It is strongly inversely correlated with the severity of SUI. It appears to be a specific SUI biomarker reflecting both urethral sphincter competence and urethral support.
Diagnosis* ; Female ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Neck ; Nervous System Diseases ; Observational Study ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urethra ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Incontinence* ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; Urodynamics

Urinary incontinence (UI) has been a serious health problem which can significantly affect quality of life. UI may occur at any age but more common in the elderly population. Many conditions may leak to UI and differential diagnosis is critical to guide appropriate manage strategy. After a brief description of the pathophysiology, classification, and diagnostic evaluation of UI, this review highlights oral pharmacological therapy mainly in clinical point of view. For urge UI, antimuscarinic are the most commonly used medication supported with high level of evidence. Antimuscarinics competitively block muscarinic receptors with variations in selectivity for the different subtypes. Common adverse effects are dry mouth, constipation, and blurred vision. High caution for cognitive function should be applied in the use of antimuscarinics in the elderly. Mirabegron, a beta3-agonist, is a new class of drug targeting urge UI, which reported similar efficacy with antimuscarinics and favorable adverse effect profile. For stress UI, various type of medications have been clinically investigated but so far none showed satisfactory resolution of stress UI. Duloxetine is the only medication approved for stress UI in European countries but not in US Food and Drug Administration and Korean Food and Drug Administration due to low benefit-risk profile for UI. Conclusively, pharmacological therapy should be tailored to the type of UI. Recent options of medications may give further treatment possibilities for the optimal treatment for each patient.
Aged ; Classification ; Constipation ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Duloxetine Hydrochloride ; Humans ; Medication Therapy Management ; Mouth ; Muscarinic Antagonists ; Quality of Life ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; United States Food and Drug Administration ; Urinary Incontinence* ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; Urinary Incontinence, Urge

Occult bladder injury may sometimes go unrecognized during tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedures. We report a case of occult intraperitoneal bladder injury that occurred during a TVT procedure. There was no sign of bladder perforation on the initial cystoscopy, which was performed just after the insertion of the trocar. Signs of general peritonitis appeared after the patient started to void the next day. A postoperative cystogram and cystoscopy showed an intraperitoneal bladder injury and a pinhead-sized ulcerative lesion in the right lateral wall of the bladder. We suspect that at the time of initial cystoscopy, the trocar passed through the submucosal area without violating the bladder mucosa. The occult bladder injury may have been caused after the initial cystoscopy by advancing the rough edge of the prolene tape during the extraction of the trocar. This report is the first description of such an occult bladder injury during a TVT procedure.
Vagina/surgery ; Urologic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/*surgery ; Urinary Bladder/*injuries/radiography ; *Postoperative Complications ; Peritonitis/diagnosis/etiology ; Humans ; Female ; Cystoscopy ; Adult

The Maximum Urethral Closure Pressure (MUCP) and Functional Urethral Length (FUL) are significant parameters of the Urethral Pressure Profile (UPP), while the Q-tip angle and Bladder Neck Descent (BND) are the significant parameters of urethral hypermobility. We performed a study to evaluate the effects and predictive values of each of these parameters in the diagnosis of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). A retrospective study was done involving 90 SUI patients and 38 non-SUI patients who underwent urodynamic study, Q-tip test and perineal ultrasound at Yonsei Medical Center between January, 1999 and February, 2002. There was no statistical difference between the SUI and non-SUI groups in terms of mean age, delivery history, menopausal age and body mass index. While the FUL and Q-tip angle showed significant differences (33.18 +/- 19.55 vs 33.12 +/- 13.37 mm, p=0.002; 65.94 +/- 21.69 vs 56.45 +/- 26.53 degrees, p=0.02, respectively) neither the MUCP nor the BND showed any significant difference between the two groups (60.06 +/- 29.92 vs 48.97 +/- 42.95 cmH2O, p > 0.05; 1.09 +/- 0.75 vs 0.85 +/- 0.76 cm, p > 0.05; 0.71 +/- 0.80 vs 0.53 +/- 0.72 cm, p > 0.05). The odds ratios for the FUL and Q-tip angle were 1.038 (1.014, 1.061) and 1.017 (1.001, 1.033), respectively. The FUL and Q-tip angle had cut-off values of 1.36 cm (sensitivity: 68.8%, specificity : 54.1%, PPV : 73.8%, NPV : 48.1%) and 20.47 degrees (sensitivity : 93.3%, specificity : 18.17%, PPV : 68.2%, NPV : 60%), respectively, in the diagnosis of SUI. The area under the curve (AUC) of the FUL and Q-tip angle were on average 0.625 (p=0.0016) and 0.575 (p=0.0012), respectively. Both the FUL and Q-tip angle showed a significant difference between SUI patients and the normal group. However, their value as a diagnostic tool was trivial, and since their sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value showed inconsistent results at each cut-off value, it would be difficult to apply them to clinical use. A further study is required to set-up standard diagnostic values of these variables for clinical use.
Age Factors ; Aged ; Female ; Human ; *Menopause ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urethra/*anatomy & histology ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/*diagnosis

BACKGROUNDOccult stress urinary incontinence may lead to de novo stress urinary incontinence after pelvic floor repair surgery. A measurement of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency can reflect the integrity of the nerves. We aimed to explore the value of pudendal nerve terminal motor latency in the diagnosis of occult stress urinary incontinence in pelvic organ prolapse patients.

METHODSTen patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI group), 10 with SUI and uterine or vaginal prolapse (POP + SUI group) and 10 with uncomplicated uterine or vaginal prolapse (POP group) were evaluated for their pudendal nerve terminal motor latency using a keypoint electromyogram.

RESULTSThe amplitude of positive waves was between 0.1 and 0.2 mV. The nerve terminal motor latency was between 1.44 and 2.38 ms. There was no significant difference in the wave amplitudes of pudendal nerve evoked action potential among the three different groups (P > 0.05). The pudendal nerve latency of the SUI group, POP + SUI group and POP group were (2.9 ± 0.7) seconds, (2.8 ± 0.7) seconds and (1.9 ± 0.5) seconds respectively. The difference between the SUI group and POP + SUI group was not statistically significant (P > 0.05), whereas the difference between the SUI and POP groups and between the POP + SUI and POP groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation between pudendal nerve latency and the severity of SUI; the correlation coefficient was 0.720 (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSPatients with SUI may have some nerve demyelination injuries in the pudendal nerve but the damage might not involve the nerve axons. The measurement of pudendal nerve latency may be useful for the diagnosis of SUI in POP patients.

Evoked Potentials ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse ; physiopathology ; Pudendal Nerve ; physiopathology ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Uterine Prolapse ; physiopathology

PURPOSE: Urodynamic studies are commonly performed as part of the preoperative work-up of patients undergoing surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). We aimed to assess the extent to which these urodynamic parameters influence patient selection and postoperative outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients presenting with SUI were randomly assigned to two groups: one undergoing office evaluation only and the other with a preoperative urodynamic work-up. Patients with unfavorable urodynamic parameters (detrusor overactivity [DO] and/or Valsalva leak point pressure [VLPP]<60 cm H2O and/or maximum urethral closure pressure [MUCP]<20 cm H2O) were excluded from the urodynamic testing group. All patients in both groups underwent the transobturator midurethral sling procedure. Evaluation for treatment success (reductions in urogenital distress inventory and incontinence impact questionnaire scoring along with absent positive stress test) was done at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients were evaluated. After 12 patients with any one or more of the abnormal urodynamic parameters were excluded, 30 patients were finally recruited in each of the "urodynamic testing" and "office evaluation only" groups. At both the 6- and the 12-month follow-ups, treatment outcomes (reduction in scores and positive provocative stress test) were significantly better in the urodynamic testing group than in the office evaluation only group (p-values significant for all outcomes). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings showed statistically significantly better treatment outcomes in the urodynamic group (after excluding those with poor prognostic indicators such as DO, low VLPP, and MUCP) than in the office evaluation only group. We recommend exploiting the prognostic value of these urodynamic parameters for patient counseling and treatment decisions.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Patient Selection ; Preoperative Care/*methods ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; *Suburethral Slings ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/diagnosis/physiopathology/*surgery ; Urodynamics/*physiology

PURPOSE: The definition of posttransobturator tape procedure (post-TOT) voiding dysfunction (VD) is inconsistent in the literature. In this study, we retrospectively investigated the risk factors for post-TOT VD by applying various definitions in one cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 449 patients were evaluated postoperatively. Acute urinary retention requiring catheterization, subjective feeling of voiding difficulty during follow-up, and postoperative postvoid residual (PVR) greater than 100 mL or PVR greater than 50% of voided volume (significant PVR) were adopted for the definition of VD. With these categories, multivariate analysis was performed for risk factors of postoperative VD. RESULTS: Ten patients (2.2%) required catheterization, 47 (10.5%) experienced postoperative voiding difficulty, and 63 (14.7%) showed significant PVR. In the multivariate logistic analysis, independent risk factors for postoperative retention requiring catheterization were previous retention history (p=0.06) and preoperative history of hysterectomy. Risk factors for subjective postoperative voiding difficulty were underactive detrusor (p=0.04) and preoperative obstructive voiding symptoms (p<0.01). Previous urinary retention history (p<0.01)) was an independent risk factor for concomitant postoperative voiding difficulty and significant PVR. Spinal anesthesia (p=0.02) and previous urinary retention history (p=0.02) were independent risk factors for significant postoperative PVR. CONCLUSIONS: With the use of several definitions of VD after the midurethral sling procedure, postoperative peak flow rate and PVR were significantly different between groups. Although there were no independent risk factors consistent with various definitions of VD, preoperative obstructive voiding symptoms and objective parameters suggesting impaired detrusor tend to have predictive power for post-TOT VD.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy/adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Suburethral Slings/*adverse effects ; Urinary Catheterization ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/physiopathology/*surgery ; Urinary Retention/diagnosis/*etiology/physiopathology ; Urodynamics

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical value of simultaneously combined pelvic floor dynamic MRI and pelvic organography in diagnosing female pelvic floor disorders and search for the best imaging model for diagnosing pelvic floor disorders.

METHODSThirty women with pelvic floor disorders received pelvic floor dynamic MRI and simultaneously combined pelvic organography including cystourethrography, peritoneography, vaginography and defecography. Clinical diagnostic value was compared between this two methods.

RESULTSThe diagnostic accuracy of pelvic floor dynamic MRI and simultaneously combined pelvic organograph for cystocele,anorectal junction abnormal descent, pelvic floor hernia,uterocervical prolapse was 100%, 95.2 %, 86.7%, 85.7% respectively. Rectocele and prolapse of rectal were diagnosed by pelvic organograph in 12 and 28 cases respectively, while only 6 and 0 cases were diagnosed by pelvic floor dynamic MRI respectively. The mean examining time of pelvic floor dynamic MRI and simultaneously combined pelvic organography was (16 +/- 3)min, (34 +/- 9)min respectively (P< 0.01).

CONCLUSIONPelvic floor dynamic MRI combined with defecography is the best imaging model for diagnosing pelvic floor disorders.

Adult ; Aged ; Encopresis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Female ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Pelvic Floor ; physiopathology ; Pelvis ; diagnostic imaging ; Radiography, Abdominal ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging