Lidocaine cystometry in the diagnosis of bladder overactivity

The effect of intravesical lidocaine was studied in a group of patients with symptoms of urinary urgency with or without incontinence. Provocative water cystometry failed to demonstrate signs of unstable detrusor but all patients presented a continuous, steep rise of detrusor pressure at the end phase of filling. Repeat cystometry was performed after the bladder had been treated with 3 g lidocaine intravesically for 20 minutes. In the majority of patients, no change in configuration of the cystometrogram was noted. In a group of patients, a decrease of detrusor pressure occurred and there was also an influence on phasic bladder contractions. In three patients, phasic detrusor contractions developed after lidocaine. Thus, intravesical lidocaine seems to be a useful tool to increase the precision of the urodynamic diagnosis in bladder overactivity.