Urinary Incontinence & Erectile Dysfunction Flashcards
State the innervation of the urinary bladder.
- Somatic to external urethral sphincter:
- S2-S4 pudendal
- Sympathetic:
- L1-L3 hypogastric
- Parasympathetic
- S2-S4 pelvic
Describe the filling phase of the micturition cycle.
- Stretch receptors stimulated
- Bladder relaxes
- Sphincter contracts (sympathetic alpha receptors)
- Desire to void at 75% capacity → voluntary control to maintain continence (capacity 400-500mL)
Describe the voiding phase of the micturition cycle.
- Voluntary and reflex (parasympathetic) relaxation of sphincter and pelvic floor
- Reflex detrusor contraction (parasympathetic)
- Intravesical pressure > urethral pressure
Why does urinary incontinence occur?
- Detrusor dysfunction - urge urinary incontinence.
- Sphincter dysfunction - stress urinary incontinence.
- Bladder overdistension with chronic retention of urine - overflow urinary incontinence.
- Mixed urinary incontinence.
- Anatomical abnormalities.
What is stress urinary incontinence?
Describe the pathophysiology.
- Definition - involuntary leakge of urine on effort, exertion, sneezing, laughing or coughing.
- Caused by dysfunction of the urethral sphincter.
- Caused by:
- Bladder neck / urethral hypermobility
- Pelvic floor weakness
- Rotational descent of bladder neck / urethra
- Intrinsic sphincter deficiency
- Internal and external sphincters
- Bladder neck / urethral hypermobility
What are the risk factors for SUI in women?
- Factors which reduce urethral closure pressure:
- Childbirth: vaginal delivery, particularly assisted.
- Ageing
- Oestrogen withdrawl
- Pelvic surgery
- Neurological disorders e.g. MS, SC injury
- Factors which increase intra-abdominal pressure:
- Obesity
- Chronic cough (e.g. smokers)
What should you ask in the history of a woman presenting with ?SUI?
- Involuntary leakage of urine upon:
- Coughing?
- Sneezing?
- Laughing?
- Exertion?
- Wearing pads?
- Must ask this explicitly because this information may not be volunteered.
- How many are they going through?
- Parity
- PMHx - any risk factors
Describe the examination and investigation of ?SUI in a woman.
- Pelvic examination
- Stress test
- Pad test
- Go away and wear pads for 24 hours then the pads are weighed to assess how much urine they are leaking.
- Bladder diary
- ICIQ-UI
- Questionnaire - different ones for different types of incontinence.
- Urine dip +/- MSU
- To rule out infection.
- Urodynamics (only if considering surgical management)
- Cystoscopy if indicated (e.g. haematuria)
What are the management options for SUI in women?
- Conservative
- Pelvic floor muscle training
- Supervised
- 30% of women with mild SUI improve
- Lifestyle modification
- Weight loss
- Smoking cessation
- Modify fluid intake
- Medication
- Duloxetine (second line, only as an alternative to surgery)
- Surgical - pelvic floor
- Urethral bulking agent
- Burch colposuspension
- Suburethral sling
- Artificial urinary sphincter
- Pelvic floor muscle training
What are the risk factors for SUI in men?
- Main cause post-prostatectomy due to sphincter incompetence.
- Removal of internal sphincter in RP
- Damage to sphincter innervation in RP
- Damage to external urethral sphincter at TURP (<1%)
- ↑ age
- Pre-existing bladder dysfunction
- Radiotherapy
Describe the examination and investigation of SUI in a male.
- Stress test
- Pad test
- Questionnaires e.g. ICIQ-MLUTS
- Post void residual (exclude overflow)
- Videourodynamics
- Cystoscopy
What are the management options for SUI in males?
- Conservative
- Pelvic floor muscle training pre- and post- operatively
- Speeds recovery
- Does not cure SUI
- Pads
- Penile sheath e.g. Conveen
- Urethral catheter
- Pelvic floor muscle training pre- and post- operatively
- Surgical
- Slings
- Artificial sphincter
What is urge urinary incontinence?
- Urge incontinence is a sudden and strong need to urinate.
- A symptom of overactive bladder syndrome.
- Caused by dysfunction of detrusor smooth muscle.
What questions should you ask in the hx of a patient with ?UUI?
- Frequency
- Urgency?
- Urge incontinence
- Nocturia?
Describe the examination and investigation of a patient with UUI.
- Abdo + pelvic exam +/- DRE
- Neuro examination
- Questionnaires
- ICIQ-OAB
- Bladder diary
- Urinalysis +/- MSU
- Flow + residual
- Pad test
- USS
- Urodynamics