Electrovesicogram in the neurogenic bladder

The vesical electric activity was studied by electrovesicogram (EVG) in 24 patients with spinal cord injury: 15 with upper (UMNL) and 9 with lower (LMNL) motor neuron lesion. Mean age was 48.3 years; 16 were men and 8 were women. Eight healthy volunteers acted as controls. Transcutaneous recording was done with both a full and empty urinary bladder. three electrodes were applied supra-pubically and one reference electrode was applied to the lower limb. The normal volunteers recorded regular triphasic pacesetter potentials (PPs), which were reproducible in the individual subject. The electrovesicographic pattern was similar in the full and empty bladder, except that the PPs of the latter had a lower amplitude. the patients with UMNL showed "dysrhythmic" pattern with irregular rhythm, amplitude, and frequency in both the full and empty urinary bladder. Patients with LMNL exhibited "silent" EVG. The results indicate that electrovesicography could be used as an investigative tool that may help in the diagnosis of such conditions. The technique is simple, easy, noninvasive, and without complications.