Relative urethral leakage pressure versus maximum urethral closure pressure. The reliability of the measurement of urethral competence with the new tube-foil sleeve catheter in patients.

In 78 female patients the urethral leakage pressure, defined as the intravesical pressure at which leakage starts from the urethral orifice, was estimated with the tube-foil sleeve catheter. In accordance with the definition of maximum urethral closure pressure, the relative urethral leakage pressure was defined as urethral leakage pressure minus intravesical resting pressure. In the same patients urethral closure pressure was also measured by urethral pressure profilometry with a flexible micro pressure-sensor catheter. On the average the ratio of relative urethral leakage pressure/urethral closure pressure was about 0.5. Relative urethral leakage pressure and urethral closure pressure were higher than the maximum detrusor pressure increases during detrusor instabilities in 21 continent patients with motor urge. The relative urethral leakage pressure correlated better with the detrusor pressure elevations at which fluid loss from the urethral orifice started in 24 motor urge incontinent patients than urethral closure pressure did.