Cystometry (synonym: cystomanometry) refers to a urological examination method that measures the pressure and capacity of the urinary bladder. It is one of the urodynamic examinations.
The normal capacity of the urinary bladder is between 250 to 750 ml. Urinary bladder pressure is normally 10 cm H2O in women (♀) and 20 cm H2O in men (♂), respectively; during micturition (emptying of the bladder), it is up to 60 (♀) and up to 75 cm H2O (♂), respectively.
Indications (areas of application)
- Urinary incontinence – inability to hold urine.
- Bladder emptying disorders such as neurogenic bladder (bladder atony) – disorder of urinary bladder function occurring primarily after damage to the spinal cord, resulting in an overflow bladder
- Unclear symptoms such as pollakiuria (urge to urinate frequently without increased urination) or imperative urge to urinate
- Vesicoureteral reflux – reflux of urine from the urinary bladder via the ureters into the kidney.
- Unclear urinary retention
- Therapy-resistant enuresis in children (bedwetting).
The procedure
In cystometry, the urinary bladder is filled with saline solution via a catheter and the pressure is measured at different times before and during filling via the cystomanometer (= cystomanometry). To avoid falsification due to intra-abdominal pressure (pressure in the abdominal cavity), another measuring probe is placed in the rectum (rectal) to measure this pressure. Furthermore, during this examination, it is possible that contrast medium is filled into the urinary bladder via the urinary bladder catheter in order to subsequently make X-ray examinations of the filled urinary bladder and to detect possible incontinence signs (so-called X-ray cystometry). The examination is usually performed while the patient is sitting.
