Introital Ultrasonography in Female Urinary Incontinence

Weon, Young Cheol; Cho, Kyoung Sik; Lee, Jin Seong; Choi, Sang Hee; Kim, Keon Seok; Choo, Myung Soo

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the usefulness of introital ultrasonography in the assessment of female urinary incontinence.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Introital ultrasonography was performed in fifteen patients with stress urinasy incontinence(mean age 50) and six patients without symptoms of incontinence(mean age 37). Using a sagittalsection of the anterior pelvis in the plane of the symphysis pubib the posterior rethrovesical angle, the pubourethral distance and the pubo-yretgrak abgle were measured at rest and during stree(Valsalva's maneuverstate). The student T-test and the ANOVA test were used in statistical analysis.
RESULTS
The posterior urethrovesical angles of the controls were 125.3 degrees (+/- 10.9) at rest and 125.7 degrees (+/-7.6) during stress. In thepatients, the corresponding angles were 135.3 degrees (+/-11.3) and 139.6 degrees (+/-10.8). The posterior urethrovesical angles increased 0.3 degrees (+/-4.7) in the controls and 5.6 degrees (+/-4.0) in the patients(p=0.018). In the controls, thepubo-urethral distances were 21.8mm(+/- 5.8) at rest and 18.2mm(+/-7.1) during stress, while in the patients thesedistances were 18.4mm(+/-3.9) and 12.6mm(+/-4.4). The pubo-urethra distance decreased 3.5mm(+/-1.5) in the controls and 5.8mm(+/-2.3) in the patients(p=0.039). In the patients with mild incontinence(Gradel), the posterior urethrovesical angles increased 3.4 degrees (+/-2.8) : 132.3 degrees (+/-12.5) at rest and 135.6 degrees (+/-12.8) during stress. In the patients with moderate incontinence(Grade II), the angles increased 8.1 degrees (+/-3.8) : 136.0 degrees (+/-6.5) at rest and 144.1 degrees (+/-5.9) during stress. The change of the posterior urethrovesical angle was related to the grade of urinary incontinence in the patients(p<0.05). There was no statistical significancy in the pubo-urethral angle(p=0.315).
CONCLUSION
Introital ultrasonography may be useful for assessment of stress urinary incontinence.