Vesicourethral function study and application of urinary alarm in progressive supranuclear palsy

We performed a vesicourethral function study on seven patients with progressive supranuclear palsy. In storage phase, 6 patients had decreased urinary sensation and overactive detrusor. Although bladder compliance was normal in all patients, maximum cystometric capacity was decreased in 3 patients. In micturition phase, detrusor contraction was underactive in 4 patients and acontractile in 1 patient. Sphincter electromyogram showed detrusor-sphincter-dyssynergia in 1 patient, no decrease in 3 patients and synergistic decrease in 1 patient. Six patients had urinary incontinence partially due to those neurological abnormality, partially due to dementia and lower activity of daily living. To facilitate the care of such functional incontinence, we devised a urinary alarm. The urinary alarm is a device to detect urine in a diaper. One can know the micturition in a diaper without being informed of micturition by the patient and change diapers as soon as possible. It was also useful to examine their frequency/volume chart.