The effect of catheter diameter on the urethral cough pressure profile of continent and incontinent patients

✍ Scribed by S. Meyer; P. Grandi; N. Schmidt; O. Reymond

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 786 KB
• Volume: 3
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0937-3462
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00372639

✦ Synopsis

The importance of catheter diameter in causing inaccurate urethral pressure profile recordings was assessed with the aid of a special, dual diameter catheter. Cough pressure profiles obtained in premenopausal and postmenopausal incontinent patients were compared with control groups. The urethral functional length (FL) and pressure transmission ratio (PTR) did not change. The maximal urethral closing pressure (MUCP) decreased with the smaller catheter only in incontinent patients. Similarly, a decreased urethral surface at rest (USR) was observed for incontinent groups. Continent patients showed no modification of MUCP or USR with change in catheter diameter. The occlusive effect of the catheter was high (21 cmH20) in incontinent patients and less in continent patients (5 cmH20). The part played by the occlusive effect of the catheter may therefore be evaluated and considered an element explaining artificially high MUCP that do not reflect clinical reality in certain patients. This occurs most often in incontinent patients due to curvature of the catheter during coughing.