UROFLOW POST-VOID RESIDUALS OVERVIEW
The Uroflow device is simply a special urinal that allows the urologist to trace out your flow pattern and determine such parameters as peak flow, average flow and total voided volume. We ask that you come to the office with a partially full bladder and that you continue drinking fluids on the way to the office so that you will have to urinate shortly after you arrive. Do not overfill; we are trying to get a picture in time that is a sample of your current voiding habits. If you are to full or you try to urinate when you do not have the urge to we will get incorrect results. If this occurs then we would have to repeat the study and you will have to drink fluids for a significant time before you get the urge again.
We consider a study a good one for evaluation purposes if you have voided at least 200cc, if you don’t have a significantly large post-void residual volume.
The Post-Void Residual (PVR) volume is the amount of urine that is left behind in the bladder after you are done urinating. Normally, there is very little urine left in the emptied bladder. Those with obstructive outlet disease such as prostate enlargement or urethral stricture disease will have much more urine remaining in the bladder after voiding.
There are two possible ways to determine the PVR, the most accurate one is using a catheter to empty the bladder, and the other is the more commonly used technique called the bladder ultrasound. An ultrasound probe is placed over the bladder and the PVR is measured through the abdomen after some warm jelly has been placed on the abdominal wall.
There is absolutely no discomfort associated with this test.