Value of urethral pressure profilometry in the female incontinent patient: a prospective trial with an 8-channel urethral catheter.

OBJECTIVES

To measure the pressure profiles at different positions of the urethral circumference simultaneously.

METHODS

Twenty-two women with symptoms of genuine stress incontinence underwent urogynecologic assessment and multichannel urethral pressure profilometry (UPP) at rest with a specially designed 8-channel urethral catheter with radial openings.

RESULTS

The distribution pattern of maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) and functional urethral length (FUL) values were significantly different (P=0.004 and P=0.0004, respectively). Most of the highest MUCP values per patient were found between channels 2 and 4 (P=0.015); most of the greatest FUL values per patient were found between channels 3 and 4 (P=0.15).

CONCLUSIONS

The data of our study substantiate asymmetric radial pressure distribution within the urethra and underline the necessity of cautious interpretation of results of conventional single-channel UPP, which might vary because of transducer orientation.