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New Concepts in Bladder Sensation and Urinary Urgency

  • Overactive Bladder and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (U Lee and S Adelstein, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the evaluation and measurement of urinary urgency and bladder sensation.

Recent Findings

New technologies have been developed to improve our diagnostic capabilities in urinary urgency and bladder sensation. Recent developments include MRI-based neuroimaging and novel tablet-based sensation meters that can be used during urodynamics as well as during oral hydration.

Summary

Commonly used metrics for urinary urgency and bladder sensation include the use of validated surveys/void diaries and standardized verbal sensory thresholds during urodynamics. However, these metrics are highly subjective and prone to significant bias. There has been an evolution in evaluation metrics ranging from the use of reflex testing to electrical perception testing to the use of neuroimaging and the development of sensation meters. Neuroimaging allows for mapping of specific brain areas involved in the different phases of voiding and provides an anatomic basis for different forms of overactive bladder. The sensation meter allows for generation of real-time sensation-capacity curves which enables easy and objective comparison between patients as well as potential subtyping of different forms of overactive bladder. In addition, new research supports the concept of differing forms of urgency and the use of novel patient-derived terminologies for urinary urgency and bladder sensation.

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Funding

This work was supported by NIH R01-DK101719.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery/Division of Urology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, PO BOX 980118, Richmond, VA, 23298-0118, USA

    Hameeda A. Naimi & Adam P. Klausner

  2. Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University College of Engineering, Richmond, VA, USA

    John E. Speich

  3. The Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    Adam P. Klausner

Authors
  1. Hameeda A. Naimi
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  2. John E. Speich
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  3. Adam P. Klausner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam P. Klausner.

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Conflict of Interest

Hameeda Naimi, John Speich, and Adam Klausner declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

In all studies performed by the authors, Institutional Review Board approval was obtained and all subjects provided informed consent for participation.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Overactive Bladder and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

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Naimi, H.A., Speich, J.E. & Klausner, A.P. New Concepts in Bladder Sensation and Urinary Urgency. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep 13, 132–138 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-018-0474-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-018-0474-3

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