Urethral pressure measurement.

Background: Urethral pressure measurement is a procedure used for assessment of the urethral sphincter function during storage.

Methods: The techniques available are subject to significant pitfalls, interpretation problems and test-retest variation.

Conclusion: Urethral pressure profile (UPP) parameters are of limited value in the assessment of the urethral sphincter function. The parameters do not 1) discriminate stress incontinence from other disorders, 2) provide a measure of the severity of the condition and 3) return to normal after successful incontinence surgery. Urethral pressure profile may be useful in disclosing local pathology, in assessment of changes with intervention in the individual patient and in selecting patients with 'low pressure urethra' which may have therapeutic implications. The quality of our techniques of measurement and our concepts of interpretation need to be improved.