It is not necessary to fast the night before or take laxatives. As long as the urine test is normal, the study is very safe and can be performed with minimal discomfort. It is important to arrive with a full bladder since the patient will be asked to urinate in a special “flow rate” machine before the study. The patient should remain calm and be attentive to the instructions given by the Nurse or Technician. At least one nurse and a technician will be in the room during the entire study. The patient should attempt to ignore their presence as much as possible. Sedated and general anesthesia cannot be given as they can both affect the validity of the study.
What will be done during the test?
The patient will need to undress and put on a gown. A tiny catheter will then be placed by the nurse through the urethra into the urinary bladder. In addition, a small catheter will be placed in the rectum. Placement of the catheter in the rectum enhances the accuracy of the bladder measurements. The study can be performed with the patient standing or sitting. In select cases the study may be performed with the patient lying down. A computer will record all of the measurements and a “tracing” will be generated. Mr Jaffrey may be present during the critical parts of the study,he will analyze and interpret the study based on the tracings and imaging information.
After Urodynamics, what can I expect?
Half an hour after the study, the patient will be discharged. He or she may experience some burning when urinating for a few days; this is normal. There may be some blood in the urine, but as long as large clots are not formed, the bleeding will abate if the patient drinks plenty of fluids. The patient may immediately resume regular diet, medications, and normal activity levels. Mr Jaffrey will discuss the results with the patient, if possible the same day or later by an appointment.
