Valsalva Maneuver - Urogenital

Urogenital

The Valsalva maneuver is used to aid diagnosis of intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD) in urodynamic tests. Valsalva leak point pressure is the pressure that is associated with urine leakage. Although there is no consensus on the normal value, values > 60 cm H₂O are considered normal. Also, when examining women with pelvic organ prolapse, asking the patient to perform the Valsalva maneuver is an almost invariable step to demonstrate maximum organ descent. The Valsalva maneuver may be of use in checking for a dural tear following certain spinal operations such as a microdiscectomy. An increase in intra-spinal pressure will cause CSF to leak out of the dura causing a headache.