Diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence. An overview.

This article represents an overview of the evaluation and diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence. Lower urinary tract anatomy in women is reviewed with particular attention to the salient features contributing to stress incontinence. Also discussed is the relevance of the distinction between anatomic incontinence and intrinsic sphincter deficiency in the classification of stress urinary incontinence. Various diagnostic techniques are described with emphasis on the importance of urodynamic evaluation in complex cases.