A review of office urethroscopy and cystometry.

The authors review the indications and findings of urethroscopic and cystometric examinations carried out on 279 patients. The most common indication was urinary incontinence, stress and urge types. Other indications included dysuria, recurrent urinary infections, and preoperative indications. The most common finding was chronic urethritis. Other findings included urethral stenosis, unstable bladder, anatomic stress incontinence, and urethral diverticulum. Changes in the vesical neck, characteristic of anatomic stress incontinence, were found in 43% of patients who complained of stress incontinence. This resulted in fewer patients being treated operatively. Chronic urethritis was present in 48% of patients with urinary incontinence. Many patients became continent after medical treatment for chronic urethritis. Office urethroscopy and cystometry are invaluable to properly select patients for operative treatment of stress incontinence. Chronic urethritis often will be found to be the source of many pelvic complaints.