[Rational approach to the patient with urination disorders caused by cervico-urethral obstruction]

Benign prostatic hypertrophy is the most frequent cause of cervico-urethral obstruction in adults. The symptomatology is complex and varied, and includes both irritative and obstructive symptoms. A number of methods are used to evaluate-quantify obstruction caused by benign prostatic hypertrophy. A series of tests are traditionally used to identify disorders caused by altered vesical filling (LUTS) and the degree of obstruction (BOO). An analysis of the various methods generally allows the most suitable treatment to be commenced. This critical review aimed to identify the real value and specificity of each method in relation to the possibility of quantifying the degree of cervico-urethral obstruction.