Telemetric urodynamic investigations in female incontinence

The usual method of filling cystometry fails to assess the mechanism of urinary leakage in more than half the women who complain of incontinence. Telemetric studies with televised observation provide the patient with a relative degree of privacy and thus make possible urodynamic investigations independent of restrictive laboratory conditions. Twelve women (mean age 49.8 years) underwent usual cystometric studies and subsequent telemetric urodynamic study via identical catheters and electrodes. In regular cystometry urine loss was detected in four of 12 women, while telemetric study allowed evidence of urine loss in seven of 12 women. Leakage was provoked by raised bladder pressure under various simulated stress conditions. Five non-incontinent women in the telemetric study had markedly lower bladder pressures under stress conditions than the remainder of the patients. During the voiding phase, maximum and average flow rates were increased in the telemetric study despite a slightly reduced micturition pressure and a reduced volume voided. Our discussion shows this finding to be related to lowered psychogenic stress. The introduction of telemetric techniques in urodynamics provides a further refinement of investigative methods, which may help to better understand bladder and sphincter behavior both in normal physiologic conditions and in cases of pathologic changes.