A comparison of anticipatory and postprocedure pain perception in patients who undergo urodynamic procedures

The purpose of this study was to compare anticipatory and postprocedure pain perception in female patients who undergo multichannel urodynamic evaluation in an office setting.

One hundred consecutive patients completed a visual analogue pain scale before and after urodynamic testing.

The mean postprocedure pain score of 2.32 cm was significantly lower than the anticipatory pain rating of 4.35 cm (P<.05). The lower postprocedure pain score was not influenced by previous hysterectomy, body mass index, menopausal status, estrogen replacement therapy, or analgesic or psychiatric medication usage. Patients who had undergone previous anti-incontinence surgery reported significantly higher levels of pain during the procedure (mean visual analogue pain scale score, 3.10 cm vs 2.06 cm; P=.027).

Patients who undergo urodynamic testing anticipate higher degrees of discomfort than they perceive during the procedure. Previous anti-incontinence surgery appears to lower the pain threshold.