Monday, October 20, 2008

Urodynamic Equipment

As we speak with our current and prospective urodynamic clients in urology and gynecology about our outsourced urodynamic service, we often receive questions about urodynamic equipment. These questions generally come up under two distinct areas of inquiry.

1) What urodynamic equipment is available if we decide to buy our own urodynamic machine?

2) What are the urodynamics tests involved that we will need to conduct and what do they help to determine?

As for number 1, many of our technicians are trained and experienced conducting urodynamic testing on either of the major urodynamic equipment manufacturers. Though we do not endorse any specific urodynamic equipment manufacturer, we typically use the Life-Tech product line for our urodynamic services conducted on behalf of our clients. We have created a page on our website that lists the major urodynamic equipment manufacturers and links you to their websites. It can be found at urodynamic equipment

Regarding number 2, there are many specific tests that are conducted during a urodynamics study. The following are the tests conducted during the course of one of our standard urodynamic procedures:

Uroflow - This test is done at the very beginning and records the flow rate, volume and pattern.

Filling CMG (cystometrogram) - This test records the activity of the bladder during the course of the filling process. Is it expanding normally? Is it hypersensitive? Is the detrusor overactive.

EMG (electromyography) - Records the neurology throughout the procedure.(after the initial uroflow) Most common neurological problem is bladder sphincter dyssinergia .

VLPP (Valsalva Leak Point Pressure) - Much of the time, the leak in females is due to a fallen (prolapsed) bladder. After about 200 cc’s of filling, we stop and stand the patient up and ask the patient to cough and bear down. We’re trying to recreate the leak. We do it first naturally and then we do it again reduced (reduced simply means that we physically push the bladder up beyond the pelvic line). This is VLPP both reduced and unreduced.

Pressure flow - After the patient is completely full we tell them to go ahead and void. The equipment tells all about what’s happening. Abdominal pressure – are they straining hard to go. Vessical pressure (bladder pressure) How much pressure in the bladder during the void – how hard is the detrusor working. How much volume came out and how fast and in what pattern.

Urodynamic studies provide extremely valuable diagnostic data for any of the following:
Urge incontinence
Stress Incontinence
Urinary retention
Frequency
Nocturia
All other storage and micturition issues

Making sure that both the urodynamic equipment is properly operating and that the technician is experienced enough and well trained to operate it competently is crucial for accurate study reporting. Different from the typical urology clinic, our urodynamic technicians are experts and highly experienced as this is what they do. Our urodynamic uro-gynecology clients see the advantages we bring to their practice without additional expense of urodynamic equipment and the expertise our technicians deliver during each test. Some additional benefits we deliver when you outsource urodynamic testing can be found here.

Urodynamics testing can be very beneficial in determining the exact cause of your patients' incontinence symptoms. Proper urodynamic study reports will enable you to properly diagnose and move toward treatment that will have dramatic impacts on your patients' health.

Get more information at www.mobile-uro.com

1 comment:

Clark said...

Mobile Urodynamics is no longer in business. If you need urodynamics testing services, BHN offers urodynamics testing in almost every area of the U.S. See them at http://www.BHNCo.com or at http://www.bhnco.com/Urodynamics/Urodynamics-Testing-Services.html.