Analysis of voiding disorders in patients with cerebrovascular accidents.

Urodynamic evaluation was undertaken in 33 patients (15 males and 18 females, age range 48-90 years) with voiding problems following cerebrovascular accidents. In the majority of these patients (26) cystometry revealed involuntary contractions of the bladder. The critical volume for involuntary bladder contractions was approximately 200 mL. The majority of patients with cerebral cortex and/or internal capsule lesions had uninhibited relaxation of the sphincter during involuntary bladder contractions, while all of the patients with lesions only in the basal ganglia or thalamus had normal sphincter function. The remaining 7 patients had poor bladder contractions. Correlation of bladder dysfunction with the area of brain injury was not conclusive, but was suggestive of directions to be taken in future research.