Incontinence Flashcards
(136 cards)
What is the definition of incontinence?
any involuntary loss of urine which is a social or hygienic problem
What proportion of women attending primary care clinics report incontinence?
46%
What is the incidence of overactive bladder in institutionalised elderly females?
50% or more
What are the 5 commonest types of urinary incontinence in women?
- Stress urinary incontinence (SUI)
- Urge incontinence/ Overactive bladder (OAB)
- Mixed incontinence (SUI and OAB)
- Retention with overflow
- Fistula
What is the commonest cause of urinary incontinence?
stress urinary incontinence (40%)
What is the definition of stress incontinence?
involuntary loss of urine on effort or physical exertion, including sporting activities, or on sneezing or coughing, in the absence of any detrusor contraction
What term can sometimes be used to describe stress incontinence, to avoid confusion with psychological stress?
activity-related incontinence
What proportion of cases of female urinary incontinence does OAB (aka urge incontinence) account for?
30%
What are the symptoms of overactive bladder incontinence?
sudden, compeling desire to pass urine which is difficult to defer (urgency)
usually associated with daytime urinary frequency (more than previously deemed normal) and nocturia (interruption of sleep one or more times because of need to micturate)
in severe cases, enuresis (bed wetting)
What distinguishes overactive bladder from urge urinary incontinence?
UUI is a severe form of OAB
What is mixed urinary incontinence?
women complain of incontinence associated with both urgency and physical exertion (accounts for 30% of cases)
In which group of patients is retention with overflow a common form of incontinence?
elderly female patients, with an underactive bladder or with a neurological problem
What is the mechanism of retention with overflow?
bladder continues to fill until it spills over, resulting in leakage (due to underactive bladder or neurological problem)
How can a fistula cause urinary incontinence?
it is an abnormal communication between two epithelial surface; any communication between the lower urinary tract (ureter, bladder or urethra) and the genital tract (uterus and vagina) will result in continuous dribbling
What is the commonest cause of a fistula causing incontinence in 1. the UK and 2. in under-resourced countries?
- Complication of surgery
- Obstructed labour
How common are fistulae as a cause of incontinence in the UK?
1 in 1000 cases of incontinence
What are 4 structures/ features involved in the maintenance of continence?
- Proximal urethral sphincter mechanism
- Distal urethral sphincter mechanism
- Supporting tissues around urethra
- Bladder stability - detrusor action
What role does the proximal urethral sphincter play in maintaining continence?
- present in the region of the bladder neck
- is a water-tight seal; maintains pressure in urethra greater than in the bladder.
- Anatomical basis of the seal is series of arteriovenous anastomoses within wall of proximal urethra, which allow degree of turgor pressure to be exerted circumferentially around urethra, which results in formation of hermetic seal by keeping urethra occluded
- if pressure exerted in numerous places around circumference of tube, it will close

What role does the distal urethral sphincter play in the maintenance of continence?
- pressure in proximal urethra exceeds that in bladder; greatest pressure difference exists at mid-urethra
- this is made of striated muscle within wall of urethra and is innerved by nerve roots S2-4 via pudendal nerve

What are the 2 key types of supporting tissues around the urethra that play a role in maintaining continence?
- pubourethral ligaments, derived from fascia of pelvic floor
- to lesser degree, the pelvic floor musculature, namely the levator ani muscle
What is the innervation of the distal (external) urethral sphincter?
nerve roots S2-4 via pudendal nerve
What role do the supporting tissues around the urethra pay in maintaining continence?
maintain proximal urethra in intra-abdominal position and any rise in intra-abdominal pressure is transmitted equally to bladder and proximal urethra - pressure difference will not change and continence will be maintained
What can result from any weakness or damage to the supporting tissues around the urethra?
can make urethra hypermobile and any rise in intra-abdominal pressure makes it move outside the abdomen, leading to unequal distribution of pressure, which may predispose to SUI
What is the role of bladder stability and the detrusor muscle in maintaining continence?
detrusor should relax during bladder filling and contract during micturition; involves complex interaction between structural anatomic parts of the urinary tract + between nervous control systems



