[Investigation of Repeatability of Residual Urine Volume Measurement for Lower Urinary Tract Disorder in Patients with Lumbar Degenerative Disorders].

ABSTRACT

STUDY DESIGN: prospective study OBJECTIVE:To evaluate repeatability of residual urine(RU)volume measurement(RUM)in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA RUM by abdominal echo is a non-invasive modality to evaluate lower urinary tract disorder(LUTD), repeatability of which is not found in urological disorders. Additionally, its repeatability has not been confirmed in spinal disorders. The authors examined repeatability of RUM for evaluation of LUTD in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with lumbar degenerative disorders and 7 normal adult volunteers entered our study. RUM was performed at least twice(two to seven times; average 3.6 times). According to urological guidelines, RU over 50 cc is defined as abnormal. Thirty-four patients were divided into two groupsthe U+group with lower urinary tract lesion(16 patients)and the U-group without such a lesion(18 patients). RESULTS: In normal adult volunteersIn all volunteers, there was no abnormal RU. Repeatability of RUM was 100%. Average RU volume was 1.6 cc. In patients with lumbar degenerative disordersRepeatability of RUM was 94.4% in the U-group(average RU volume was 35.2 cc)and 50% in the U+group(average RU volume was 50.1 cc). In all patients with lumbar degenerative disorders, repeatability of RUM was 73.5%(average RU volume was 43.0 cc). CONCLUSIONS: Repeatability of RUM in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders was 73.5%. Especially, in patients without lower urinary tract lesion, high repeatability of RUM was confirmed. According to the present study, RUM seemed to be a dependable modality to evaluate LUTD in patients with lumbar degenerative disorders.