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How should bladder sensation be measured? ICI-RS 2011
S De Wachter1, Philip P Smith, P Smith
1Department of Urology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands. stefan.dewachter@ua.ac.be
Neurourology and Urodynamics
|March 15, 2012
Summary
Assessing bladder sensation is vital for understanding urinary dysfunction. Current measurement methods are suboptimal, as they isolate factors influencing bladder sensation rather than considering them holistically.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
Background:
- Sensory dysfunctions, including disturbed bladder sensations, are increasingly recognized as central to urinary dysfunction syndromes.
- Accurate assessment of bladder sensation is essential for advancing the understanding of urinary dysfunction pathophysiology and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize discussions from a 2011 ICI-RS think tank focused on methods for measuring bladder sensation.
- To highlight the limitations of current assessment techniques and propose future research directions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review on bladder sensation assessment.
- Synthesis of discussions from the ICI-RS think tank meeting.
- Elaboration on the ICI-RS report by multiple researchers.
Main Results:
- Bladder sensations involve complex factors beyond mere bladder distension, including intrinsic bladder/wall factors, central processing, and cognitive influences.
- Current measurement methods (e.g., urodynamics, voiding diaries, brain imaging) are considered suboptimal because they analyze these factors in isolation.
Conclusions:
- Existing clinical methods for measuring bladder sensation are diverse but incomplete.
- Further research is needed to develop comprehensive methods that address the multifaceted nature of urinary sensation generation and perception.
- Recommendations for future research are provided.
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