Objective: The aims of our study were to analyze ultrasound parameters of the lower urinary tract in continent women before and after menopause. Design: Prospective clinical study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic Methods: Seventy continent premenopausal women (Group 1) and thirty women after menopause (Group 2) participated in the study. In the group 1 - mean age was 32.8 years, mean weight was 64.2 kg and mean parity was 0,8. In the group 2 - mean age was 53.2 years mean weight was 73.4 kg, and mean parity 1.61. A perineal and introital ultrasound examination was performed in women in a supine position (Acuson 128 XP - 10) with the bladder filled at a mean capacity 283 ccm. Funneling was described as an enlarger distance between the inner edges of proximal urethra during Valsalva. The descent of the cervix of uterus was calculated as a difference comprising the distances between the cervix of the uterus and the surface of ultrasound probe at rest and during Valsalva. Results: We found significant differences in bladder neck position and mobility between this two groups. We did not find funneling during Valsalva in both groups. On the contrary, in the “hypermobile” group (in the patients with differences between the
angle during Valsalva and the
angle during squeezing > 60°) the distance between the inner edges of internal orifice is signifi- cantly (p = 0.0038) smaller than in women with UVJ relatively less mobile. Conclusion: In continent women after menopause we find larger mobility of UVJ, but without funneling of the urethra. In women with hypermobility of UVJ leakage does not occur, due to the proven increased closure of internal orifice during Valsalva.

        Key words: female urinary incontinence, ultrasonography, menopausa