Ultrasonography of urinary tract and micturition as an alternative to radiologic investigations in the spinal-cord-injured patient

Late complication of Boari bladder flap

A very rare late complication of Boari bladder flap repair with development of pseudodiverticulum and recurrent genitourinary tract infection secondary to vesicoureteral reflux is presented. Radiologic evaluation of the patient comprised intravenous pyelography (IVP), micturating cystourethrogram, cystoscopy, and multislice computed tomography (MSCT).

Video urodynamics using transrectal ultrasonography for lower urinary tract symptoms in women

AIMS

To understand the properties of lower urinary tract disorders in women, we evaluated 60 female patients with lower urinary tract disorders or symptoms of recurrent cystitis by free uroflowmetry and video urodynamics using transrectal ultrasonography (VU-TRUS).

METHODS

Results of urodynamic studies or symptoms of stress incontinence were used to divide 60 women into 7 normal controls and 53 with voiding dysfunctions.

RESULTS

In normal controls, VU-TRUS showed that the mean posterior urethrovesical angle and anteroposterior diameter of the proximal urethra at maximum flow was 151.4 degrees and 4.9 mm, respectively. In patients with voiding dysfunction, VU-TRUS during voiding revealed various urethral abnormalities, including 16 detrusor sphincter dyssynergia, 4 detrusor bladder neck dyssynergia, and 13 insufficient opening of the entire urethra. VU-TRUS also showed pelvic floor abnormalities, including 24 urethral hypermobilities (group 1) and 11 cystoceles (group 2). Eighteen patients had neither urethral hypermobility nor cystocele (group 3). Major pressure-flow abnormalities in the 53 patients with voiding dysfunctions were weak detrusor (72%) and/or bladder outlet obstruction (25%). There were no significant differences in the distribution of the pressure-flow abnormalities among the three groups. However, the mean values of abdominal pressure at maximum flow of group 1 (20.9 cm H(2)O) and group 2 (17.9 cm H(2)O) were significantly higher than that of group 3 (6.3 cm H(2)O; each P < 0.05). The mean values of residual urine volume of group 2 (60.8 mL) and group 3 (77.6 mL) were significantly higher than that of group 1 (23.5 mL; each P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The symptoms of women with lower urinary tract disorders were frequently accompanied by urethral and/or pelvic floor abnormalities during voiding that were clearly detected by VU-TRUS. VU-TRUS is useful for objective evaluation of female lower urinary tract symptoms.

Urological dysfunctions and upper urinary tract involvement in multiple sclerosis patients

The goal of the present study was to investigate the involvement of the upper urinary tract (UUT) in patients with multiple sclerosis and its relationship with other neurological and urological features of the disease. One hundred sixteen patients underwent complete neurological and urological assessments, urodynamic investigation, and morphofunctional study of the urinary tract by ultrasonography, voiding cistourethrography, and/or intravenous excretory pyelography. The most remarkable relationships were observed among disease duration, pyramidal system score, amplitude of uninhibited detrusor contractions and the presence of bladder morphological abnormalities (P = 0.03, 0.0008, and 0.018, respectively) and the relationship between pyramidal system score or the presence of bladder pathology and UUT abnormalities (P = 0.03 and 0.0006, respectively). A significant relationship was found between the maximum amplitude of uninhibited contractions and UUT involvement (P = 0.002). No other significant relationship was observed between UUT involvement and any other urodynamic or urological features of the disease (type of progression and progression rate, Expanded Disability Status Scale, and other functional system scores). The relationship among disease duration, high vesical pressures, and the lack of reliable clinical indices of risk to the UUT stress the importance for patients with multiple sclerosis to adhere to a strict follow-up program with urodynamic assessment and urinary tract imaging and to maintain detrusor relaxation with anticholinergic medications.

Transrectal ultrasound urodynamics

Seventy-seven male patients (34 with cervical spine injury, 32 with thoracic spine injury, 9 with lumbosacral spine injury, and 2 with multiple sclerosis) who were referred to our spinal cord injury unit for urologic evaluation had videourodynamic studies using transrectal ultrasound and fluoroscopy. All were studied twice in the same session: first with transrectal ultrasound urodynamics (TRUSU) and the second time with conventional fluoroscopic videourodynamics (VUD). The findings were compared. Efficacy of TRUSU: (1) clearly documented flow of fluid through bladder neck into posterior urethra before clinical leakage occurred per urethra; (2) allowed accurate placement of EMG needle electrodes in external urinary sphincter under visual guidance; (3) provided high-quality imaging of surrounding structures and allowed assessment of bladder neck, prostate, seminal vesicles, and posterior urethra; (4) eliminated radiation exposure to the patient and the examiner, with no time limit imposed on imaging so that repeat studies could be done to evaluate patients on new drug treatments or postoperatively at no increased risks; and (5) its availability to most urologists at their office at considerably less cost to set up than fluoroscopy. In our study TRUSU identified a hypoechoic lesion in the prostate of 1 patient and a tumor in the bladder neck of another patient. Fluoroscopic VUD identified 6 patients with bladder diverticula and 2 with grades 1 and 2 vesicoureteral reflux which TRUSU did not identify. Our experience indicates TRUSU is a valid and preferable alternative to fluoroscopic VUD for patients with spinal cord injury.