Urodynamics testing is considered the gold standard for assessing disorders of the lower urinary tract. However, knowing exactly when to prescribe a urodynamics test can be confusing depending on which published guidelines are followed. Here, urodynamic assessment and when these tests should be prescribed will be discussed.

Urodynamic testing is the gold standard for incontinence assessment; however, this method is not without
drawbacks. For instance, data interpretation is reliant on a number of factors, including the clinician’s training, proper use of the equipment, and reproduction of the patient’s symptoms during testing.

Urodynamic testing is an important consideration any time a surgery is performed involving the lower urinary tract or pelvic organs in women. Colpoplasty, which is defined as plastic surgery involving the vagina, has the ability to change the way the urinary tract functions for women.

Each urodynamic test has a distinct diagnostic purpose. Additionally, there are multiple ways to perform each assessment, which can affect the test’s results. Here, the merits of ultrasound versus catheterization for measuring post-void residual¹ (PVR) urine volume will be discussed.

Urodynamics are a series of tests that measure the functionality of the lower urinary tract. Urodynamics testing¹ may be ordered for a number of symptoms, including pain, incontinence, and changes in a patient’s normal urinary or fecal routine. 

The American Urological Association (AUA) has put forth guidelines for clinicians who perform urodynamic testing for adults experiencing common lower urinary tract symptoms¹. These guidelines are intended to assist the clinician in better understanding the role of urodynamics in the assessment of complex disorders of the lower urinary tract.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) is a condition for which it is estimated that up to 11% of women¹ will undergo surgery in order to correct associated symptoms, such as urinary incontinence, by the time they reach 85 years of age. Many tools are used for diagnosing POP, one of which is urodynamic assessment. Here, Pelvic Organ Prolapse and urodynamics will be extensively discussed.

Although urodynamic testing has been an important tool in diagnosing disorders of the urinary tract¹, the tests and techniques have undergone minimal changes in the past few years. One recent development that has changed the way urologists, primary care physicians, and gynecologists diagnose disorders of the bladder and urethra is video urodynamics. Here, video urodynamics and traditional urodynamics are compared.

Bladder cancer is an increasingly common phenomenon, particularly among male smokers aged 55 and older. More than 70,000 Americans¹ are diagnosed with bladder cancer yearly, and that number is expected to continue to rise. When detected early, bladder cancer is highly treatable with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Urodynamic testing is one way that bladder cancer can be detected when lower urinary tract symptoms are experienced.

One of the most prevalent prostate ailments in aging men is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as an enlarged prostate. Men over the age of 50 have a 50% chance of developing BPH, while 90% of men over 80 years of age have this problem. Urodynamics in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) diagnosis will be discussed here.