Female vesical instability: etiologic problems in 209 cases

Based on a series of 209 cases, the authors investigate the aetiological factors responsible for vesical instability in adult females. Fifty five p. cent of patients suffered from incontinence due to isolated urgency. These patients presented a history of neurological disturbances in 21 cases, total hysterectomy in 22 cases and surgery for incontinence in 54 cases. Sixty p. cent of cases presented with genital prolapse. There were 7 cases of urinary tract infection, 2 cases of renal stones and 2 bladder tumours. Urodynamic studies revealed 60 dysuric syndromes. The responsibility of urinary tract infection or genital prolapse in the development of vesical instability is questionable. Nevertheless, the frequency of genital prolapse in the present series argues in favour of deficiency of the perineal musculature which decreases the capacity for inhibition of the detrusor. Lastly, 40% of patients did not have any neurological causes or any vesical or adjacent pathology. These cases were described as idiopathic vesical instability for which the aetiopathogenesis remains unknown.