VESICAL DYSFUNCTION IN SYSTEMIC-SCLEROSIS (SCLERODERMA)

There have been only a few reports on the involvement of the urinary t ract in patients with systemic sclerosis, a disease of the connective tissue characterized by thickening and fibrosis of the skin, abnormali ty of the small arteries, and involvement of the gastrointestinal trac t, heart, lung and kidney. We report the urodynamic assessment and his tological examination of 9 women with scleroderma. Three patients void ed less than 100 ml. with a significant residual volume and 4 presente d with detrusor areflexia during a filling cystometrogram. Histopathol ogical examination in all patients with detrusor areflexia demonstrate d the presence of arterial lesions and derangement of the capillary be d of the detrusor musculature. Our data provide evidence for the funct ional and histological involvement of the bladder in patients with sys temic sclerosis.