EVALUATION OF FACTORS OF FEMALE URINARY-I NCONTINENCE AND THERAPEUTICINDICATIONS

A good understanding of the factors involved in female urinary inconti nence is essential for the therapeutic management of incontinent women . Urinary stress incontinence involves three variables which participa te in the pressure equilibrium during effort : mobility of the urethro vesical junction, urethral resistance and the intensity of effort. The most appropriate treatment for each patient can only be selected by i nvestigating all three of these factors and by determining their respe ctive roles in incontinence. Urge incontinence is also multifactorial, but, very often, no cause can be found on the aetiological assessment , leading to the diagnosis of idiopathic instability. The factors of d etrusor motor instability are discussed and their aetiological treatme nt is proposed.