Urodynamic System for Bladder Dysfunction Patients

Patients with neuromuscular disorders and elderly individuals often face a problem they are reluctant to discuss: "incontinence" (inability to hold urine) or "urinary retention" (inability to pass urine).

This seemingly minor dysfunction is a major barrier that hinders happiness and causes the rehabilitation of other bodily functions to stall, as patients are constantly worried about controlling their urinary excretion.

Patients with neuromuscular disorders and elderly individuals with dysfunctional urinary excretion systems require assessment to analyze their urinary system. This is crucial for patients with abnormal urination to obtain data for evaluating the dysfunction, making a diagnosis, providing treatment, planning, and monitoring treatment outcomes.

What is Urodynamic Testing?

Urodynamic testing (Urodynamics) is a procedure that examines the function of the entire urinary tract, from the bladder to the urethra. It analyzes:

·         The contraction of the bladder muscle and sphincter muscle.

·         The bladder's ability to store urine.

·         Urinary control (continence).

·         The condition of urine leakage when straining.

This test is performed on patients who exhibit symptoms such as urinary incontinence, frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs), abnormal control of urination, incomplete bladder emptying, or difficulty straining to urinate.

The Need for New Equipment

Thai Red Cross Rehabilitation Center is a specialized center of Thai Red Cross Society that provides treatment, therapy, and rehabilitation for patients with physical impairments or disabilities, such as those recovering from stroke, brain or spinal cord injuries, or those experiencing physical decline due to various chronic diseases. These conditions severely impact their capability and quality of life.

In line with its mission to provide standard-compliant rehabilitation services for patients and disabled persons, focusing on patient-centered care and modernizing the field of rehabilitation medicine to create a better quality of life for patients, Thai Red Cross Rehabilitation Center currently provides urinary tract function assessments to more than 20 patients per month.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to procure a new Urodynamic analysis machine to replace the damaged existing unit and to prepare for the increasing volume of elderly patients with urinary excretion problems. This will ensure that patients receive timely analysis, diagnosis, and treatment.

Objectives

1.       To be used for analyzing the urinary system function in the elderly and patients with urinary tract dysfunction, in order to obtain data for evaluating the abnormality in diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring treatment outcomes.

2.       To be used in teaching and training medical students and residents in Rehabilitation Center.

3.       To develop research projects aligned with patient rehabilitation.

Target Group

·         The elderly

·         Stroke patients

·         Patients with brain injury

·         Patients with spinal cord injury

Benefits of the X-ray Machine for Rehabilitation Medicine Patients (Assuming the Urodynamic machine includes X-ray/Fluoroscopy capability)

1.       To detect urinary system abnormalities in patients with urinary tract dysfunction, thereby providing data for evaluating the abnormality in diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring treatment outcomes.

2.       To detect complications within the urinary system.

3.       To monitor changes in the urinary system function, which helps physicians track disease progression and adjust treatment promptly.

Budget

Procurement of one (1) Urodynamic System (Bladder Function Analysis Machine), totaling 5,500,000 Baht.