Making sense of urodynamic studies for women with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse: a urogynecology perspective

Abstract

The support for routine urodynamic testing in the management of women with urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse is eroding. The reasons for this change largely reflect the growing evidence that urodynamic testing in this context renders little additional information over basic office assessment. The clinical features of urodynamic testing and its diagnostic and prognostic precision and accuracy are all problematic. As our understanding of female lower urinary tract dysfunction improves, the inadequacy of urodynamic testing to meaningfully improve patient and clinician decision making has become more apparent.