PUrodynamic Studies- Patient information sheet

Urodynamic Studies: Patient information sheet

This is a test performed to for a detailed understanding of the way your bladder functions and the resistance offered to the bladder muscle pump by the outflow passage.


Before the test
Please call us if you think you may be suffering from an infection or if you are pregnant as the test will need to be re scheduled If you take any of the tablets below please discontinue them a week before the test
Tamsulosin (Flomax)
Tolterodine (detrusitol)
Oxybutynin
Solifenacin (vesicare)
Detrunorm
Indoramin
Alfuzosin (Xatral)
On the day of the test

• The test takes approximately one hour

• DO NOT STARVE. You can eat and drink freely without any restrictions

• Please bring all your medication with you

• You will be asked to wear a gown or a dressing gown. Please try and bring one of your own if you can.

• You will need to provide a urine sample which will be dip sticked to rule out any active urinary infection.

The test itself is in three stages:
1. Flow rate. You will be asked to empty your bladder into a special toilet which is connected to a machine which draws a graph. This graph is a useful non
invasive tool to help with reaching a diagnosis.

2. Cystometry. This assesses the urinary bladder’s capacity to store urine. A small catheter (tube) will be passed into the bladder via the urethra (pipe from
where one empties their bladder). Another tube is passed up the back passage. These are done under local anaesthetic and its a relatively painless procedure.

These tubes are connected to the machine which reads pressures and though one of the lumen’s of the bladder tube the bladder is filled with saline with or
without contrast material. You will be asked to cough, move, jump, and laugh and at all times you will be in control.

You can terminate the test early should you wish to. X rays pictures may be taken if deemed necessary. The bladder filling will continue till you can hold no more and get an intense desire to empty your bladder.

3. Voiding stage: You will then be asked to empty your bladder again in the special toilet and pressures will be measured. The test is now over and the
tubes will be removed.

After the test
• You may feel sore when passing urine but this feeling will disappear with subsequent voids
• You can commence the tablets which you stopped for the test after the test is over
• You may see some blood in your urine for up to 48 hours.

This is usually normal but if this persists longer or you are worried the do contact your GP or else you may call us on 02083635598.

download leaflet for Urodynamics
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