Obstetrics and Gynecology – Stress Urinary Incontinence: By Shawna Johnston M.D. & Emily Stern M.D.

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Obstetrics and Gynecology – Stress Urinary Incontinence
Whiteboard Animation Transcript
with Shawna Johnston, MD and Emily Stern, MD
https://medskl.com/module/index/stres...


Stress urinary incontinence, or SUI, is the involuntary loss of urine with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, or exercising. SUI is a common and disabling condition affecting up to ⅓ of women.

Two things are necessary for urethral closure and thus continence, when intra-abdominal pressure increases.

First, the pelvic floor musculature and connective tissue must support the urethra (also known as the bladder neck). When this support fails, the bladder neck becomes hypermobile, and incontinence occurs.

Second, the smooth muscle in the wall of the urethra must contract like a sphincter. When this fails, urethral closure does not occur. This is referred to as intrinsic sphincter deficiency.

Bladder neck hypermobility is much more common than is ISD.

When assessing a woman with incontinence, first ensure that the complaint is of stress incontinence, NOT urgency incontinence. The later implies a different bladder dysfunction. Ask if there are associated symptoms of prolapse, because the conditions often occur together. Make sure to assess the impact of stress incontinence on quality of life and on sexual function.

SUI is a symptom, not a diagnosis. The symptom can be confirmed on physical exam by leakage with a cough stress test. Because the usual mechanism for SUI is hypermobility, the position of the urethra should be assessed on exam. Pelvic floor muscle tone should also be assessed. Finally, a bimanual exam should be performed to rule out a pelvic mass as the reason for increased abdominal pressure.

The FRED mnemonic provides a helpful initial approach for the management of SUI:

Fluid Restriction;
Pelvic floor Exercises;
and Bladder Drill or (timed bladder emptying).

Intravaginal pessaries can be tried in patients who fail conservative management. These provide bracing support under the urethra. If unsuccessful, referral to a surgeon is next. Sling surgery may be recommended. Like pessaries, slings work by recreating a stable compressive surface underneath the urethra.