[The value of the urethral depression quotient in diagnosis of female stress incontinence using the Brown-Wickham method].

Various parameters of the urethral pressure profile have been developed to improve diagnosis of genuine stress incontinence. By application of micro-tip transducers, a positive correlation between "depression ratio" and degree of incontinence as had been observed by Eberhard. The aim of this study was to examine Eberhard's observations by the use of Brown-Wickham's method. Significant differences in the parameters of the urethral pressure profile during stress, such as the urethral closure pressure, depression pressure, depression ratio, transmission ratio, and the area of continence, were found between continent and incontinent patients. Although pressure transmission and transmission ratio revealed significant differences, depression pressure and depression ratio were found to be similar in patients with mild and severe degree of incontinence. According to the results of this study, depression ratio does not reflect the degree of urinary loss, when open catheters are used.