Urodynamic testing evaluates urination problems by measuring urine volume and flow rate. Dysfunction in the urinary tract can cause problems such as incontinence, infections, and difficulty urinating. The test can be simple or complicated, and an abnormal result may indicate an urgent need to urinate or impeded urine flow. The test requires no special preparation but can be difficult or embarrassing for some.
A urodynamic test is done on someone with specific urination problems to evaluate the problem and help assess the cause. This test is ordered for people with blocked urine flow or urine leakage problems. Urodynamic testing involves urinating into a container while urine volume and flow rate are measured.
In a normal urinary tract, several organs, nerves and muscles work together to accumulate, store and excrete urine. The first organs of the urinary system, the kidneys, collect urine and filter waste products. The urine then passes through the ureters to the bladder and from there is excreted through the urethra. The pelvic floor and sphincter muscles are also involved in this process, which help prevent urine from leaking out of the bladder. Nerves located in the bladder receive and send signals about the state of the bladder, such as when it is filling and when it needs to be emptied.
Muscle, nerve, or organ dysfunction can then cause a variety of urinary tract problems, such as incontinence, frequent urinary tract infections, difficulty urinating, painful urination, or the inability to empty the bladder completely. These problems have a variety of causes, including injury, illness, age, or pregnancy. A urodynamic test is used to determine the cause of bladder problems or to provide information that, along with other test results, will aid in the diagnosis.
Urodynamic testing can be a simple or complicated procedure, depending on how much diagnostic information is needed. At the bottom of the scale, a patient might be asked to urinate while a doctor listens. A more complicated test involves catheterizing the test participant to fill their bladder with a defined amount of fluid, after which the participant is asked to empty their bladder. Testing urinary tract function might involve assessing how quickly the bladder empties, how much urine is left in the bladder after emptying, or how much fluid the bladder can hold without leaking.
An abnormal urodynamic test result could include one or more of several states. For some people, the problem is an urgent need to urinate or the inability to hold urine even if the bladder contains only a small amount. If an abnormally large amount of fluid is retained in the bladder after urinating, urine flow from the bladder may be impeded or blocked. Alternatively, the muscles that force the bladder to contract during urination may be weakened, preventing proper contraction.
In most cases, a urodynamic test requires no special preparation. The test must sometimes be done with a full bladder, so the participant may be asked to avoid urinating for several hours before the test. Urodynamic testing is not dangerous or painful, but it can be difficult or embarrassing for many people because it involves urinating in the presence of one or more clinical staff.
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