English

Abstract

The prevalence of voiding disorders in women varies between 1.8% and 18% and appears to increase with age 1, 2; 3 . Urodynamic tests define voiding disorders with repeated peak flow rates of around 14ml/s and or 200ml or more of residual urine. Voiding disorders are common in women. The prevalence of voiding disorder (VD) in women varies between 1.8% and 18% and appears to increase with age. Urodynamic evidence of voiding difficulty was defined as repeated peak flow rates of 14ml/s and/or 200 ml or more of residual urine. The causes include: Acute inflammation such as genital or urinary tract infection, Drugs such as epidural anaesthesia, oxybutynin, detrusitol and antidepressants, Nerve damage such as spinal cord injury and diabetic neuropathy, Psychological influences such as anxiety, hysteria, Schizophrenia and depression, Pelvic surgery and vaginal delivery, Obstruction due to pelvic organ prolapse, faecal impaction and urethral narrowing, detrusor underactivity or detrusor areflexia, Overdistension of the bladder, Inability to relax the urethral sphincter during voiding, Symptoms include: Delay in initiating urination, Slow urinary flow, Sensation of incomplete emptying of bladder, The need to immediately re-void, The need to strain to void, Dribbling of urine after completing bladder emptying. Investigations include Urinalysis, Uroflowmetry, Urodynamics, Electromyography, Radiology, Cystoscopy, Urethral pressure profile; treatment includes medical and surgical management. CONCLUSION: Voiding disorder (VD) in women varies between 1.8% and 18% and appears to increase with age. Early diagnosis and treatment is mandatory to prevent irreversible damage to the