The role of Video-Urodynamic Study in the Diagnosis of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) frequently combines other geriatric diseases, which affect voiding in complicated manner. However, differential diagnosis of BPH attributable to voiding dysfunction in such complicated cases has been difficult. Videourodynamic study, allowing the better correlation of structure and function, have had an important position in the diagnosis of various kind of voiding dysfunction. We compared diagnostic values between traditional pressure-flow study and videourodynamic study in the evaluation of the BPH. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-seven men were subjected to this study, who showed lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to BPH combined with other underlying diseases (cerebrovascular disease, spinal cord injury, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease) which could affect the voiding pattern. Included was patients older than 50 years, with a total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 8 points or more. All patients were evaluated with detailed history, physical examination including digital rectal examination, prostate specific antigen (PSA), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), and videourodynamic study. Pressure-flow study was additionally performed in 27 patients who had been diagnosed as equivocal or obstructed or unobstructed on videourodynamic findings. RESULTS: The sensitivity of videourodynamic study and pressure-flow procedures was 87% and 55%, respectively, as complete pressure-flow data are not available in 12 patients due to difficult urination by catheterization. The specificity of videourodynamic study and pressure-flow study was 76% and 100%, respectively. Videourodynamic study additionally showed uninhibited bladder contraction and/or detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (internal or external) in 65.1% of the patients, which are not available from pressure-flow study. CONCLUSIONS: To diagnose voiding dysfunction from BPH in complicated case, videourodynamic study showed advantages over pressure-flow study in terms of diagnostic sensitivity, both functional and anatomical informations on lower urinary tract. It is likely that the videourodynamic study is the method of choice for the assessment of voiding dysfunction in BPH combined with other diseases.