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Non-invasive Testing and Its Role in Diagnosis and Management of Children With Voiding Dysfunction

  • Pediatric Voiding Dysfunction (Douglas Clayton and John Thomas, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The symptoms of non-neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) including urinary incontinence, frequency, and urgency are among the most common reasons for which children are referred to pediatric urologists. The workup for LUTD is often time consuming and a source of frustration for patients, parents, and clinicians alike. In this review, we describe the non-invasive tests that are available and discuss their utility in the evaluation and management of children with LUTD.

Recent Findings

The available non-invasive tests that can aid in the diagnosis and management of children with LUTD include urine studies, uroflowmetry ± simultaneous electromyography, assessment of post-void residual, renal/bladder ultrasound, and pelvic ultrasound. These tests can often help obviate the need for more invasive tests such as urodynamic studies and can be particularly helpful in complex or difficult cases that do not respond to standard urotherapy.

Summary

Non-invasive tests can help us in our goal of improving diagnostic ability to better classify the child’s LUTD into an actual condition which allows targeted treatment in the hope of better outcomes and more satisfied patients and families.

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Funding

This work was supported in part by the 2016–2017 Urology Care Foundation Research Scholar Award Program (JPV) and by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under award number KL2TR001879 (JPV). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

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Correspondence to Andrew J. Combs.

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Mr. Combs has nothing to disclose.

Dr. Van Batavia has received grant funds from the Urology Care Foundation and from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Pediatric Voiding Dysfunction

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Van Batavia, J.P., Combs, A.J. Non-invasive Testing and Its Role in Diagnosis and Management of Children With Voiding Dysfunction. Curr Bladder Dysfunct Rep 13, 56–65 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11884-018-0459-2

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