If a patient has symptoms such as urinary frequency/urgency, urinary leakage, poor flow of urination, he should first see an urologist. Thereafter, if routine tests do not suggest any cause for these symptoms, the urologist requests this test.

This is usually done on an outpatient basis. The patient is called with a full bladder & then asked to pass urine on a special toilet which will automatically tell us how fast/slow the urine is flowing. Then a small plastic tube is inserted in the urinary passage under local anaesthesia. T his tube is connected to water bottle & a pressure monitor. Through the tube, the bladder is filled with water & simultaneously any pressure changes inside are recommended. Another tube is inserted in the rectum to record the pressure changes in the rest of the abdomen. During this time, the patient is made to sit on a commode type chair. At the end of the procedure, patient is asked to pass urine again, before removing the tubes. The entire procedure takes about 30 to 35 minutes. After the test, the patient can carry on his/her routine activity as usual.

As this test is performed under local anaesthesia, it is painless but often a slight discomfort is experienced by the patient. Also it is not unusual to experience some difficulty in passing urine for subsequent 24 hours or so & rarely some patients may pass blood in the urine afterwards.

You will be given a single dose of suitable antibiotic at the time of the procedure & thereafter it will be continued for a few days only in a selected group of patients.

In some patients, it may be necessary to repeat it & your doctor will instruct you accordingly.