What is a clinical presentation of detrusor atony?

Detrusor atony refers to a condition where the detrusor muscle, which is responsible for bladder contraction, becomes weak or fails to contract properly. This results in inadequate bladder emptying. Patients often experience incomplete bladder emptying, leading to retention of urine. As the bladder fills, it may eventually become overly distended, causing overflow incontinence. This presents as involuntary leakage of urine when the bladder reaches its capacity, particularly when the patient is at rest.

The other options do not accurately reflect the clinical consequences of detrusor atony. Frequent urination without discomfort would suggest a different underlying issue, often linked to overactivity rather than atony. Sudden urges to urinate are characteristic of detrusor overactivity, indicating strong and involuntary contractions, which is the opposite of atony. Normal bladder contractions would imply that the detrusor muscle is functioning well, which is not the case in detrusor atony. Therefore, the clinical presentation highlighting incomplete bladder emptying and overflow incontinence accurately captures the key aspects of detrusor atony.