ABSTRACT
Introduction Incontinence is not easy to quantify from patient interviews or clinical examinations.1 Urinary incontinence, as defined by the International Continence Society (ICS) in 1988 is involuntary urine loss that is a social or hygienic problem.2 This definition has been recently modified3 to state simply that ‘urinary incontinence is the complaint of any involuntary leakage of urine’. This modification became necessary because the previous definition related to a complaint on quality of life issues. Quality of life instruments have been and are being developed in order to assess the impact of both incontinence and other lower urinary tract symptoms on patients.4 The importance of this condition, as perceived by the patient, differs widely from one individual to another. Some patients cannot accept the loss of a few drops of urine happening only during some specific, often limited, circumstance, whereas others wear diapers for years before seeking medical advice.
