Conventional, continuous, and telemetric monitoring of urodynamic parameters in non-human primates: a comparative study.

A comparison between three different techniques for monitoring urodynamic parameters in non-human primates was conducted in six adult female rhesus monkeys. This study was divided into two phases. In phase I, the animals were studied by conventional and continuous methods. During the study, uroflow and micturition pattern were obtained while the animals housed in a specially designed metabolic cage. Pressure transducers and EMG electrodes were surgically implanted. Then the animals were trained for 6 weeks to sit in a specially designed chair. Upon completion of the training period, continuous monitoring of the urodynamic parameters could be carried out for periods up to 14 hours. In phase II, the animals were studied with the conventional and telemetric methods. The same type of pressure transducers and EMG electrodes were implanted but they terminated in a radio transmitter powered by a long-life battery and controlled by a radio-operated switch. Conventional studies under ketamine sedation significantly increased bladder capacity, as well as the pressure at capacity (P < 0.05). Continuous monitoring was feasible, physiological, and more sensitive than the conventional techniques. Telemetric studies are superior to continuous monitoring, since the animal is not tethered to wires and provide data over a longer period of time. It is concluded that telemetric monitoring provides significantly different parameters, which could help in diagnosis and management of different voiding dysfunctions. In normal non-human primates, lower bladder capacity, higher maximum voiding pressure, higher bladder compliance, and higher incidence of detrusor instability without urethral relaxation were found. Telemetric urodynamic data on different pathological processes are currently unavailable and further work is needed in this area.