Special Urodynamic Tests: Ambulatory Urodynamics

Urodynamic investigations are an important tool in the diagnostic route of patients with lower urinary tract dysfunction. Despite the advantages of ambulatory UDS, conventional UDS is the “gold standard” for the investigation of lower urinary tract symptoms as it is a highly standardized and validated measurement tool. Novel techniques such as telemetric monitoring, catheter-free bladder pressure measurements and real-time bladder volume estimation are currently under development. Ambulatory UDS is more versatile and represents more a natural situation compared to conventional urodynamics. A few studies present results on treatment evaluation using ambulatory UDS as a diagnostic tool. Voiding dysfunction can have different causes related to the bladder outlet or intrinsic bladder characteristics self. Ongoing research focuses on extending the application possibilities, with particularly increasing attention to the role of ambulatory urodynamics in the assessment of bladder contractility and in mixed urinary incontinence.