Sonographic evaluation of bladder detrusor wall thickness among adults with benign prostatic hyperplasia In Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a major cause of bladder outlet obstruction due to urethral compression leading to compensatory bladder wall (Detrusor muscle) hypertrophy. Transabdominal ultrasound is a non-invasive, accessible, inexpensive method of imaging the prostate gland, the urinary bladder and its walls.

Objectives: To determine and compare detrusor wall thickness in adult males with benign prostatic hyperplasia and apparently healthy males with normal sized prostate glands.

Methods: It was a prospective comparative study on eighty (80) consenting adults with clinical diagnosis of BPH aged 40 – 90 years with equal number of apparently healthy matched for age asymptomatic adults. The prostate gland volumes and urinary bladder wall thickness were obtained and relationship between these parameters was analyzed at a 95% confidence interval.

Results: There was a significantly higher mean (mean ± SD) bladder Detrusor thickness (DWT) among the BPH patients (2.8 ± 1.0 mm) when compared to mean (mean ± SD) DWT of normal sized prostate adults (1.6 ± 0.4 mm) (p<0.00). The mean (mean ± SD) prostate volumes for both BPH and apparently healthy adults with normal sized prostates were 57.3 ± 42.2 and 19.8 ± 3.6mls respectively (p<0.01) with the BPH patients showing significantly larger volumes. DWT was correlated with age (r² = 0.092, p<0.01).

Conclusion: The bladder wall/Detrusor wall thickness (DWT) and prostate volume were comparatively higher in subjects with BPH than in apparently healthy individuals with normal prostates. Also DWT significantly correlated with prostate volume.

Keywords: Ultrasonography, urinary tract, compliance, bladder outlet obstruction