The Volume at Which Women Leak First on Urodynamic Testing is Not Associated With Quality of Life, Measures of Urethral Integrity or Surgical Failure

Purpose: We determined if the bladder volume at which urodynamic stress incontinence is first detected is related to preoperative quality of life, urethral sphincter assessment or surgical outcome in women undergoing continence surgery. Materials and Methods: Charts of consecutive women who underwent a sling or Burch procedure were reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative assessment included the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire and Urogenital Distress Inventory. Urodynamic stress incontinence volume is the bladder volume at which urodynamic stress incontinence was first detected. Women were divided into 4 groups according to urodynamic stress incontinence volume, and compared with respect to maximum urethral closure pressure, Valsalva leak point pressure, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire and Urogenital Distress Inventory. Urodynamic stress incontinence persistence was evaluated only in patients who had sling surgery. Results: A total of 168 women were recruited for the study. Urodynamic stress incontinence volume was 100 ml for 31% of women, 200 ml for 17%, 300 ml for 17% and 400 ml or greater for 35%. Baseline and postoperative Urogenital Distress Inventory, Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, maximal urethral closure pressure and Valsalva leak point pressure did not differ by urodynamic stress incontinence volume. Among the 116 patients who had the sling procedure, urodynamic stress incontinence persistence did not differ by urodynamic stress incontinence volume (p = 0.72). Conclusions: Women who demonstrate urodynamic stress incontinence at lower bladder volumes do not report greater bother from incontinence than women who leak at higher volumes, suggesting leakage severity on urodynamics is not an adequate reflection of incontinence related quality of life.