Investigating Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women Using Computational Methods and Clinical Data

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is characterized by the involuntary transurethral leakage of urine caused by an increase in abdominal pressure in the lack of an adequate bladderý ýcontraction that raises the vesical pressure to a level that exceeds urethral pressureý. ýAdult women are most commonly affected by SUI which is believed to be caused in part byý ýinjuries to the pelvic floor sustained during childbirthý. ýDespite the large number of women affected by SUIý, ýlittle is known about the mechanisms associated with the maintenance of urinary continence in womený. ýThe work in this ýresearch ýfocuses on studying the behavior of the bladder and the dynamics of the urine during an increase in abdominal pressure like a coughý. ýThe computational model is developed by using the Finite Elements Method (FEM) and Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) techniques. ýThe results show a good accordance between the clinical data and predicted values of the computational models. ýSimulated pressure is more accurate in the model in which non-linear material properties are utilized. The results of the computational methods indicate that by using numerical techniques and simplification of the physics of biological systems, clinical results can be reached in virtual environments in order to understand pathological mechanisms.