Neurophysiological Measurement of the Voiding Reflex Arcs in Patients with Functional Disorders of the Lower Urinary Tract

Abstract

Neurophysiological measurements were carried out in 180 patients presenting to a Joint Incontinence Clinic with a history of lower urinary tract dysfunction. A full urodynamic assessment was performed along with neurophysiological measurement of the voiding reflex arcs. The majority of patients were shown to have significantly abnormal responses on neurophysiological measurement when compared with normal controls. Two particular groups, patients with acute retention and females with stress incontinence, were shown to have markedly poorer results than patients with other urodynamic problems. These results suggest that many patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction may have a neurological component.