Pattern of voiding dysfunction after acute brainstem infarction.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to compare the patterns of voiding dysfunction according to the locations of brainstem lesions.


METHODS
Between November 2008 and December 2011, a total of 30 patients participated in this study. All 30 subjects, consisting of 16 men and 14 women, aged between 41 and 82 years (mean age, 63.0±11.0 years) underwent a urodynamic study within 7 days after the onset of a stroke.


RESULTS
Twenty-one (70%) patients had a pontine lesion and 9 (30%) had a medullary lesion. Fourteen of these patients (46.7%) had bladder storage disorder, 7 patients (23.3%) had bladder emptying disorder, and 9 patients (30%) had a normal report. Five of the patients who had a medullary lesion (55.6%) had bladder emptying disorder, whereas only 2 patients who had a pontine lesion (9.5%) had bladder emptying disorder. Thirteen patients who had a pontine lesion (61.9%) showed bladder storage disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
The descending pathway from the midbrain tegmentum is inhibitory, and the pathway from the pontine tegmentum is stimulatory. Because of their location pontine lesions could disrupt the descending fibers of the midbrain tegmentum and medullary lesions could disrupt the descending fibers of the pontine tegmentum.
Department of Neurology, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
Kyu Sun
KS
Yum
Sang-Jun
SJ
Na
Kyung-Yul
KY
Lee
Jihoon
J
Kim
Seung Hun
SH
Oh
Yong-Duk
YD
Kim
Bora
B
Yoon
Ji Hoe
JH
Heo
Kee Ook
KO
Lee
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology