Bladder compliance in neurologically intact women

No data currently exist to define normal bladder compliance (C) in women. This study was undertaken to establish normative data for C in neurologically intact women and to determine if detrusor instability (DI) is associated with changes in C. The multichannel urodynamic tracings of 270 patients (195 stable, 75 unstable) were reviewed according to a standard written protocol. Vesical and abdominal pressures (Pves, Pabd) were measured during retrograde filling after a stable baseline was established (130 ml/cm; in 90%, C was >60 ml/cm; and in 95%, C was >40 ml/cm. There were significant differences between the distribution of stable and unstable bladders above and below each of these percentile cutoffs. Only 2 women, both of whom had unstable bladders, had C 40 ml/cm, and nearly half have no increase in Pdet during filling to MCC. Patients with DI have significantly less compliant bladders than do those with stable bladders. If C is