#0484
Evaluation and validation of a disposable uroflowmeter - "P-Flow"
L. PATNI1, . RAWANDALE-PATIL1, P. RAWANDALE2, K. TAKVANI3, A. GANPULE3, R. SABNIS3, A. SINGH3, A. PATIL3, R. DHAPPADHULE1, S. KURANGAL1
1INSTITUTE
OF UROLOGY, UROLOGY, DHULE, India
2INSTITUTE OF UROLOGY, DHULE, India
3MULJIBHAI PATEL UROLOGICAL HOSPITAL, UROLOGY, NADIAD, India
Introduction:
Uroflowmetry is a common test to evaluate voiding performance and monitor Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS). Office-based uroflowmetry has challenges like patient reluctance due to inconvenience, psychological stress, and the need to void in an unaccustomed setup. Portable uroflowmeters have been developed to address these issues. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to validate the newly developed portable uroflowmeter "P-flow" by comparing its results with those obtained using conventional office-based gravimetry uroflowmetry.
Material and methods:
P-Flow a novel, portable and disposable device; designed & developed to measure the urine flow. A prospective comparative study was conducted over 12 months, from July 2023 to July 2024. A total of 372 patients attending the outpatient department were included. Uroflowmetry was performed using both conventional gravimetric uroflowmetry and the P-Flow. Key uroflowmetry variables, including voided volume, peak flow rate, average flow rate, total voiding time, and the shape of the uroflowmetry curve, were measured and compared.
Results:
The study found no significant differences between the conventional and portable methods in terms of voided volume (271 mL vs. 270 mL, p = 0.440), voided times (40 sec vs. 38 sec, p = 0.204), Q max (15 mL/s vs. 14.4 mL/s, p = 0.210), and average flow rate (9 mL/s vs. 10 mL/s, p = 0.739). Strong positive correlations between variables across both methods were observed, with a high degree of consistency.