Diagnosis and management of dysfunctional voiding

This review will focus on the diagnosis and management of voiding dysfunction in neurologically and anatomically normal children. The discussion will highlight recent developments and research in the clinical approach as well as the etiology and classification of these disorders.

Voiding dysfunction in children encompasses a wide spectrum of clinical entities, recently classified collectively as dysfunctional elimination syndromes. Voiding dysfunction typically presents after toilet training and may originate from behavioral issues that arise around this time in childhood development. The spectrum of disorders includes urge syndrome, dysfunctional voiding with an uncoordination between the detrusor and urinary sphincter, and enuresis. Clinical symptoms may vary from mild incontinence to severe disorders with endpoints of irreversible bladder dysfunction with vesicoureteral reflux, urinary tract infection and resulting nephropathy. Diagnosis relies heavily on a good history and physical examination, but also includes radiologic and urodynamic evaluation. Treatment generally consists of medical therapy, primarily with anticholinergics as well as behavioral therapy to modify learned voiding patterns that contribute to the voiding dysfunction.

This overview of voiding dysfunction in children outlines the established approaches to its diagnosis and treatment and highlights the most recent developments in the field.