How painful is multichannel urodynamic testing?
OBJECTIVE
Multichannel urodynamic testing is considered to be the gold standard for evaluation of lower urinary tracts symptoms in women. The objective of this study was to assess the level of pain associated with this test.


METHODS
We reviewed charts of women who underwent multichannel urodynamic testing for lower urinary tract symptoms and recorded pain levels using a validated visual analog pain scale of 0-10 before, during, and 1.5 h after the test.


RESULTS
We identified 50 patients who underwent the test. Pain level increased mildly but significantly during the urodynamic test (1.24 +/- 0.9 vs 0.02 +/- 0.14 p < 0.001) and decreased thereafter (0.1 +/- 0.35, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Multichannel urodynamic testing is associated with a low but significant level of pain, which generally abates shortly after the procedure. No correlation seems to exist between the degree of pain and various clinical and pelvic floor parameters.
Segev
Yakir
Y
Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carmel Medical Center, Technion University Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, 7 Michal St, Haifa 34362, Israel. segevyakir@yahoo.com
Rosen
Talma
T
Auslender
Ron
R
Dain
Lena
L
Abramov
Yoram
Y
D000368:Aged; D003950:Diagnostic Techniques, Urological / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014563:Urodynamics; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000175:diagnosis