Page 1 - Urodynamic Assessment
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Urological Health



                                Urodynamic assessment








        Urodynamic assessment aims to record the function of your bladder and its outlet to help in
        understanding your emptying or storage problem.




           he treatment of problems with urine storage and        When full, the bladder signals the brain to make you
        Temptying requires a thorough understanding of            aware of the need to empty. Contraction of the
        the function of the bladder and its outlet. Your doctor   bladder and relaxation of the sphincter should allow
        has recommended that you complete a urodynamic            complete emptying. Efficient bladder storage and
        assessment to better understand your bladder              emptying requires the coordinated activity of several
        function.                                                 muscles and nerves under the control of the brain.
        Urine is produced by the kidneys, carried through long    Many men, women and children have problems with
        narrow tubes (the ureters) and stored in the bladder      urine storage or bladder emptying. These problems
        until it is appropriate to empty. As urine is produced,   may include:
        the bladder relaxes to store it at low pressure while
        the control muscle, the urethral sphincter, wrapped       Abnormal frequency of urination:
        around the outlet (urethra), remains closed and             “I go too often.”
        contracted.
                                                                  Abnormal urgency of urination:
                                                                    “I can’t put it off.”

                 The male and female urinary tracts               Urine leakage (incontinence):
                                                                    “I wet myself.”

                                          kidney                  Difficult or incomplete bladder emptying:
                                                                    “I don’t think I empty completely.”
                                                                  Treatment of a voiding problem depends on its cause
                                                                  and nature. After reviewing your voiding pattern in
                              ureters
                                                                  detail and completing a physical examination, your
                                                                  doctor will recommend a number of investigations to
                                                                  better understand your particular problem. This may
                                                                  include a voiding diary, urine and blood tests, imaging
                                                                  studies (ultrasound or x-ray), visual inspection of the
                                                                  bladder and urethra (cystoscopy) and a urodynamic
                                                                  assessment.
                                       bladder
                                                                  Urodynamic assessment aims to record the function
                                       urethra
                             Front view                           of your bladder and its sphincter during the cycle
                                                                  of filling and emptying. It consists of a combination
                                                                  of several tests, each of which evaluates separate
              bladder                           uterus            elements of bladder and sphincter function.
              prostate          Roula Drossis  bladder            Urodynamic assessment may be performed at your
              urethra
                                                urethra           doctor’s office, your local hospital or at a specialized
                                                                  clinic. An expert nurse or doctor will conduct the study
                     Male side view  Female side view             in a private and discrete setting. The testing should not
                                                                  be painful.






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