Diagnostic value of intravesical lidocaine for overactive bladder

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic use of intravesical lidocaine, we eval uated its effects on the overactive bladder in patients with brain lesions, spinal lesions, benign prostai;ic hyperplasia (BPH) and idiopathic overact ive bladder. Materials and Methods: Cystometry was performed before and 15 minutes after intravesical instillation of 20 mi. % lidocaine in 57 patients with an ove ractive detrusor in the storage phase. Results: The percentage increase in bladder capacity for patients with spin al lesions was 136%, compared to 56%, 29% and 41% for patients with brain l esions, BPH and idiopathic bladder overactivity, respectively (significant difference p (0.01 to 0.05). Of the patients with an increase of 50% or mor e 55% had brain lesions, 80% spinal lesions, 23% BPR and 31% idiopathic bla dder overactivity. The incidence of the disappearance of detrusor contracti ons in patients with spinal lesions was greater than that in the others. Conclusions: These results suggest that intravesical instillation of 4% lid ocaine is useful for identification of overactive bladder attributable to s pinal or other lesions.