Complex Urodynamic Testing: Who Requires it? A Retrospective Review

Urodynamic studies (UDS) are an assessment tool used to evaluate physiologic variables during bladder filling, bladder storage, and bladder emptying. They are commonly performed as part of the routine preoperative evaluation of women with symptoms of SUI. However, UDS are costly, with payments allowed by Medicare quoted at greater than $500, time consuming, uncomfortable, and have been shown to increase the risk of urinary tract infection. But most concerning is the fact that UDS have not been shown to improve surgical outcomes.

In 2012, the Value of Urodynamic Evaluation (VALUE) trial evaluated 630 women who underwent a basic office exam (BOE) or BOE plus UDS, and concluded that for women with uncomplicated, demonstrable SUI a BOE alone was not inferior to evaluation with UDS for outcomes at 1 year. This recent publication has resulted in urogynecology practices across the country evaluating their own standard of care when it comes to preoperative evaluation of SUI.

Cincinnati Urogynecology Associates, TriHealth Inc. standard practice is to perform UDS on all patients undergoing surgery for SUI. The providers of Cincinnati Urogynecology Associates, TriHealth Inc. would be remiss if the providers did not follow this trend and evaluate their own personal practice of preoperative UDS in patients presenting with SUI.