Equipment, Setup, and Troubleshooting for Basic and Advanced Urodynamics

Urodynamics (UDS) is a set of functional tests of the lower urinary tract and is used to aid in the diagnosis of voiding disorders. Multiple options for UDS equipment exist with the main categories being simple (single-channel) versus complex (multichannel) UDS. Other variations include types of catheters used, fluid-based versus air systems, addition of fluoroscopy for video-UDS, software, and data storage. All of these considerations, in addition to the fact that the acquisition of urodynamics equipment can be costly, make it imperative that the clinician have some basic knowledge and understanding of the options available for UDS equipment. Furthermore, insight into the most efficient setup and how to troubleshoot common problems is invaluable for the clinician preparing to perform UDS in the office. The primary aim of this chapter is to provide the clinician with information that will be helpful when choosing urodynamics equipment appropriate for his/her practice, basic instruction on how to set up the urodynamics system, and guidelines for troubleshooting equipment-related problems.