Electrical Evaluation of Urinary Bladder Clinical Trial
Official title:
Pilot of Electrophysiologic Mapping of the Urinary Bladder
The hypothesis is that the intrinsic electrical activity of the urinary bladder in response to filling is detectable and can be mapped. This is a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of using cardiac electrical mapping catheters to measure bladder voltage in patients at the time of routine urodynamic and cystoscopic evaluation.
This pilot study is looking at the possibility of adapting some of the tools and techniques
used by cardiac electrophysiologists (doctors specializing in the electrical activity of the
heart) to help diagnose and treat Overactive Bladder. The rationale for this approach is
based on the similarities of the two organs. In simple terms, the heart and bladder are both
hollow muscular organs that expand and contract to hold and move fluid.
In an electrophysiology study looking at cardiac (heart) arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat),
the cardiologist places one or more electrode catheters (thin hollow tube with an electrical
conductor on the end) through a vein or artery in the leg or arm to contact heart tissue. By
recording the electrical activity at multiple sites of the heart, the catheter allows for
mapping of the electrical activity and the arrhythmia mechanism.
In this study, investigators will use the same electrode catheter to contact bladder tissue,
introduce a low frequency current, and map the electrical activity of the bladder. A sterile
cardiac electrical mapping catheter will be used to make contact with the walls of the
bladder and introduce a low frequency current starting with the trigone and then the four
quadrants of the dome. Electrical activity will be recorded for each volumetric milestone at
each location. It is hoped that the information from this electrophysiological testing of
the bladder may eventually lead to treatment of areas of electrical abnormality of interest.
No actual treatment of the bladder will be done as part of this pilot study.
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Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Diagnostic