Postvoid residual testing is most directly used to assess risk for which type of incontinence?

Postvoid residual testing is most directly used to assess risk for which type of incontinence?

• A. Stress
• B. Urge
• C. Overflow
• D. Functional

Answer: (C)

Postvoid residual testing measures how much urine remains in the bladder after voiding. A large residual indicates incomplete bladder emptying, which leads to continuous filling and eventual leakage—this is overflow incontinence. The other types are driven by storage problems, sphincter control, or external factors (stress leaks with increased abdominal pressure, urge leaks from detrusor overactivity, functional leaks from inability to reach the bathroom), not by how completely the bladder empties. So this test is most directly used to assess risk for overflow incontinence, such as when there may be bladder outlet obstruction or detrusor underactivity.

Postvoid residual testing measures how much urine remains in the bladder after voiding. A large residual indicates incomplete bladder emptying, which leads to continuous filling and eventual leakage—this is overflow incontinence. The other types are driven by storage problems, sphincter control, or external factors (stress leaks with increased abdominal pressure, urge leaks from detrusor overactivity, functional leaks from inability to reach the bathroom), not by how completely the bladder empties. So this test is most directly used to assess risk for overflow incontinence, such as when there may be bladder outlet obstruction or detrusor underactivity.