Preoperative pressure-flow studies: useful variables to predict the outcome of continence surgery

To determine whether the acceleration of flow rate (AFR), pressure flow variables and urethral pressure profilometry (UPP) measurements might have a role in evaluating women with urodynamic stress incontinence (USI), to predict the surgical outcome and de novo detrusor overactivity after Burch colposuspension.

Women with a urodynamic diagnosis of USI (209) who had a modified Burch colposuspension were assessed retrospectively. The AFR, the opening (ODP) and closing detrusor pressure (CDP), DP at maximum flow rate and UPP values were calculated for each woman before surgery.

The preoperative AFR was significantly higher in women who developed de novo detrusor overactivity after surgery. The women who had persistent USI after colposuspension had significantly lower preoperative ODP and CDP than women who were continent after colposuspension. Other variables were not significantly different between the groups of women.

The AFR and ODP appear to be useful preoperative measures to predict the outcome of continence surgery and the emergence of de novo detrusor overactivity.