Urodynamic findings in the lower urinary tract: I. Stress-incontinent vs. -continent women

Urodynamic findings in 250 patients with objective stress incontinence were compared with those of 108 controls without abnormalities. Patients with any component of motor‐urge incontinence were discarded from the study. The results were as follows: abdominal straining to void was significantly higher in the stress‐incontinent group; urethral resistance. maximal urethral closure pressure, and the relative urethral leakage pressure was significantly lower in the stress‐incontinent group. In light of the higher incidence of inefficient voiding pallerns seen in the stress‐incontinent population, preoperative urodynamic evaluation including cystometry with pressure flow studies, is important to exclude or at least be aware of the possibility of postoperative bladder‐emptying problems—apart from the need to exclude underlying motor instability. Relative urethral leakage pressure measurements were significantly lower than maximal urethral closure pressure measurements in stress‐incontinent patients. Urethral closure pressure profilometry is recommended in patients who are considered for retropubic urethropexy.