Urethral pressure profile

Definition:
it consists in the continuous recording of the intraurethral pressure obtained by taking out at constant speed a catheter from the internal urethral meatus to the external one; this catheter is equipped with a pressure detector or is connected to an external transducer. With this examination it is obtained the registration of a curve corresponding to the pressure variations in the stretch traveled by the catheter. It distinguishes a static PPU, basic, and a dynamic PPU, during which it is possible to evaluate the percentage of transmission of abdominal pressure to the urethra, an extremely useful parameter in the characterization of stress urinary incontinence.