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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