A comparison of normal and high post-void residual urine and urodynamic parameters in women with overactive bladder

The efficacy of force of stream assessment for post-operative catheter management: a retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Postoperative urinary retention is common after urogynecologic procedures. Our objective is to determine the efficacy of force of stream (FOS) assessment without a visual analog scale for postoperative catheter management.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 110 women undergoing an inpatient gynecologic procedure. They were asked to subjectively assess FOS after surgery without a visual analog scale. If it was 50% or better than the usual preoperative void, they were discharged home without a catheter. If < 50%, the catheter was replaced and the patients were sent home and asked to follow up in 3 to 5 days for another void trial.

RESULTS

Average age was 56.9 ± 10.2 years; 63.6% underwent surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, 23.6% underwent sling for urinary incontinence, and 12.7% underwent a combination of both. Force of stream was > 50% in 93.6% of the patients; 6.4% had force of stream < 50% and hence were discharged home with a Foley catheter. Only two patients (1.8%) were discharged without a Foley catheter and returned to the emergency department for signs of urinary retention. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 77.8%, 100%, 100% and 98.1%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The subjective assessment of flow of stream is a reliable and safe method to assess postoperative voiding. Given it is less invasive than backfilling the bladder and easier than using a bladder scan, it should be the primary method to assess postoperative voiding.

Asiatic Acid, a Natural Compound that Exerts Beneficial Effects on the Cystometric and Biochemical Parameters in the Retinyl Acetate-Induced Model of Detrusor Overactivity

Scientists have been constantly looking for new synthetic and natural compounds that could have beneficial effects in bladder overactivity. Our attention was drawn by asiatic acid that influences a number of molecules and signaling pathways relevant for the proper functioning of the urinary tracts in humans. In the present project we wanted to check whether asiatic acid would have positive effects in the confirmed animal model of detrusor overactivity (DO) and whether it would affect the bladder blood flow, urothelium thickness, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, neurotrophic and growth factors, and other parameters important for the activity of the urinary bladder. The outcomes of our study showed that a 14-day administration of asiatic acid (30 mg/kg/day) by oral gavage normalizes the cystometric parameters corresponding to DO and reduces the accompanying oxidative stress (measured by the levels of malondialdehyde-61,344 ± 24,908 pg/ml vs. 33,668 ± 5,071 pg/ml, 3-nitrotyrosine-64,615 ± 25,433 pg/ml vs. 6,563 ± 1,736 pg/ml, and NOS2-2,506 ± 411.7 vs. 3,824 ± 470.1 pg/ml). Moreover, it decreases the urinary secretion of neurotrophins (BDNF-304.4 ± 33.21 pg/ml vs. 119.3 ± 11.49 pg/ml and NGF-205.5 ± 18.50 vs. 109.7 ± 15.94 pg/ml) and prevents the changes in a range of biomarkers indicating the dysfunction of the urinary bladder, CGRP (421.1 ± 56.64 vs. 108.1 ± 11.73 pg/ml), E-Cadherin (773.5 ± 177.5 pg/ml vs. 1,560 ± 154.5 pg/ml), OCT3 (3,943 ± 814.6 vs. 1,018 ± 97.07 pg/ml), SNAP-23 (6,763 ± 808.9 pg/ml vs. 3,455 ± 554.5 pg/ml), SNAP-25 (2,038 ± 162.7 pg/ml vs. 833.3 ± 65.48), substance P (171.7 ± 16.86 pg/ml vs. 65.07 ± 8.250 pg/ml), SV2A (1,927 ± 175.3 pg/ml vs. 1,154 ± 254.9 pg/ml), tight junction protein 1 (360.1 ± 95.05 pg/ml vs. 563.4 ± 65.43 pg/ml), VAChT (16,470 ± 2,419 pg/ml vs. 7,072 ± 1,339 pg/ml), VEGFA (318.3 ± 37.89 pg/ml vs. 201.5 ± 22.91 pg/ml). The mentioned parameters are associated with smooth muscle contractions, urothelial barrier, transportation and release of transmitters, or bladder compensation. Thus, the presented findings allow to suggest a possible future role of asiatic acid in the prevention of conditions accompanied by DO, such as overactive bladder.