Assessment and treatment of urinary incontinence

The first International Consultation on Incontinence was held under the aus pices of WHO in 1998. The multidisciplinary consultation covered anatomy, p hysiology, pathology, and the investigation and management of incontinent i ndividuals. Because incontinence is a prevalent global disease, the consult ation was mindful of the need to make its recommendations applicable in all health-care systems. The management recommendations are presented as nine algorithms divided into basic management (five) and specialised management (four), for men, women, children, the frail elderly, and individuals with n eurogenic incontinence separately. The basic algorithms are intended for al l healthcare professionals working with incontinent individuals and are app lied worldwide. The specalised algorithms are presented on The Lancet websi te.