Detrusor activity at rest in patients with idiopathic detrusor hyperreflexia

The detrusor activity of the bladder at rest was investigated in the supine position for one hour following instillation of 100 cc of saline in 8 patients with idiopathic hyperreflexia. During the investigation, 5 patients showed bladder hyperreflexia. In 4 cases the activity was accompanied by an increase in the anal sphincter activity, while 1 case showed decreasing sphincteric activity prior to contractions. An analysis of the distribution of the contractions revealed a predominant frequency. The frequency and the amplitude of the detrusor contractions were independent of the bladder volume. Low provocation prolonged cystometry might be a future method of studying bladder activity and bladder pharmacology.