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ICS Courses

Please find the following ICS accredited online courses - please note that this is an active ICS project with more courses being developed.
Please check back here periodically for new courses.

Brain and Bladder

The proposed course aims at bringing together researchers who are using brain functional imaging methods to study bladder brain interactions. Knowledge about brain-bladder control is emerging rapidly but there has yet to be a meeting of those engaged in this work.
Prof. Fowler will start the course with a review of the studies in the past decade that have formed the body of knowledge in brain-bladder control. Prof. Griffiths will talk about his experimental method for study of storage function in the MR scanner and the role of specific regions activated during storage, urgency and detrusor overactivity. Prof. Tadic will talk about brain-bladder research in older subjects with urge urinary incontinence and use of novel methods to study the effects of aging (e.g. age-related white matter changes or white matter hyperintensities) on bladder control. Prof. Kuhtz-Buschbeck will present his group’s findings concerning brain representation of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and strong desire to void in normal volunteers; while Prof. DiGangi-Herms will review her data on cortical reorganization and outcome after PFM training in women with SUI. Prof. Mehnert will talk about the cortical substrate of bladder perception & control in patients with incomplete SCI and healthy control.

Target Audience:
Neurourologists, imagers, physicians, basic scientists, trainees.

Aims & Objectives:
Aims:
1. To review current knowledge about brain-bladder control based on brain (functional) imaging studies to date
2. Address specific topics based on published studies: role of different brain structures/regions and connectivity in control of continence and pelvic floor muscles; aging and bladder control; urge and stress urinary incontinence and spinal cord injury.
3. Review various methodologies used for brain-bladder fMRI studies, (infusion/withdrawal protocol, pelvic floor muscle paradigms, etc.)
Objectives:
1. Discuss presented material and possible strategies or directions for future research in brain-bladder control using functional imaging.
2. Address the methods to translate and integrate brain-bladder research into clinica

Educational Outcomes:
Have a better understanding of the role of different brain structures/regions and connectivity in control of continence and pelvic floor muscles; aging and bladder control.
Understand methods to translate and integrate brain-bladder research into clinical practice.

Topics & Speakers:

A Decade of Functional Brain Imaging applied to Bladder Control
Clare Fowler, Neurourologist, United Kingdom

Brain regions activated during storage, urgency and detrusor overactivity: method and results
Derek Griffiths, Urodynamicist, United States

Role of the brain in geriatric urinary incontinence
Stasa Tadic, Geriatrician, United States

Brain representations of pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and desire to void in normal volunteers
Johann Kuhtz-Buschbeck, Physiologist

Neuroplastic changes after pelvic floor muscle training in female patients with stress urinary incontinence
Alida Di Gangi Herms, Psychologist, Italy

Supraspinal representation of bladder sensory perception in healthy and spinal cord injury subjects and its modulation through peripheral neurostimulation
Ulrich Mehnert, Neurourologist, Switzerland

Headache in the Pelvis - chronic pelvic pain

There will be first an introduction by Ragi Doggweiler and Jeannette Potts on the history and diagnosis of interstitial cystitis/ painful bladder syndrome and chronic prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Then David Wise, co-author with Rodney Anderson of the book, A Headache in the Pelvis, will present his own personal and clinical experience with pelvic pain and the change of paradigms in urology from viewing prostatitis and related pelvic pain syndromes moving conceptually from a prostate, bladder and organ centered disorder, to a psychoneuromuscular disorder. He will discuss the physical therapy and behaviour components for what is now known as the Stanford Protocol for prostatitis and related pelvic pain syndromes. He will preview a new device for patient self treatment of internal trigger points.
Fetske Hogen Esch will present the European approach to the treatment of chronic pelvic pain.
At the end will be few case presentations. The audience will be invited to present cases themselves to hear the opinion of the speakers

Target Audience:
Urologist, gynaecologist, physical therapist

Aims & Objectives:
The aim of this workshop is to bring clarity and direction about thecurrent cutting edge treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndromes. Too often we get focused on only one organ in the treatment of patients. After these lecture the audience will have a new understanding of the vision of the whole person involved in pelvic pain.

Educational Outcomes:
Introduction to the history and diagnosis of interstitial cystitis/ painful bladder syndrome and chronic Prostatitis/ chronic pelvic pain syndrome.

Topics & Speakers:

Introduction
Ragi Doggweiler, Urologist, United States

Anatomy and Physiology of Myofascial Pelvic Pain
Stephanie Prendergast, Physiotherapist, United States

Stanford Protocol
David Wise, Urologist

Evaluation and Treatment of the Patient
Elizabeth Rummer, Physiotherapist

Medical Treatment
Kristene Whitmore, Urologist, United States

Sexual history and treatment
Susan Kellogg-Spadt, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Overactive Bladder - Do we need a new paradigm?

The (ICS) defines overactive bladder (OAB) as "urgency, with or without urge incontinence, usually with frequency and nocturia…if there is no proven infection or other etiology." Urinary urgency is the cornerstone of the diagnosis of overactive bladder (OAB), yet the definitions of urinary urgency and OAB have been the source of some controversy and, in our opinion, are much too restrictive. The aim of this workshop is to: 1) explore the definition of both of these terms, 2) propose a grading and scoring system for urgency and OAB, 3) recommend a urodynamic classification system of OAB, and 4) offer a diagnostic algorithm for evaluation based on the known etiologies of OAB.

Target Audience:
Urologists, gynecologists & nurses who treat overactive bladder

Aims & Objectives:
The objectives of this workshop are to 1) explore the ICS definition of OAB, 2) offer an amended definition of OAB, 3) propose a grading and scoring system for urgency and OAB; 4) recommend a urodynamic classification system of OAB; 5) discuss the differential diagnosis of OAB symptoms and 6) offer an algorithm for evaluation based on the known etiologies of OAB.

Educational Outcomes:
1) overactive bladder is a symptom complex, not a syndrome; 2) urgency is not an all or none phenomena, it can be graded, 3) overactive bladder can be classified by urodynamics, 4) OAB has a wide differential diagnosis.

Topics & Speakers:

Overactive Bladder - Do we need a new paradigm? Clinical and urodynamic characteristics of overactive bladder (OAB)
Jerry Blaivas, Urologist, United States

Urodynamic equipment - limitations and challenges

Urodynamic equipment - what is desirable, unnecessary, incorrect
ICS guidelines - how we got here, where we are heading.
A standard for urodynamic equipment - feasible or risible?
The ICS data file format - underused and overdue for use.
Urodynamics plus - linking urodynamics with methods of pelvic floor assessment.

Target Audience:
Engineers, Physicists, Technicians, Equipment manufacturers, Advanced equipment users

Aims & Objectives:
The course aims to bring together those involved with the technical aspects of equipment used in pelvic floor assessment. Speakers will present shortcomings and potential developments of urodynamic and related equipment currently available. They will also examine the adherence to, and further development of, ICS standards and guidelines relating to equipment. The course also aims to lay a foundation for a better understanding and closer working relationship between clinical scientists and manufacturers.

Educational Outcomes:
We anticipate that the course will be able to produce consensus on:
- the major shortcomings of currently available equipment
- the most important areas requiring development
- the issues facing proper application of ICS guidelines
- mechanisms to encourage user / manufacturer dialogue
- the feasibility of a standard for urodynamic equipment

Topics & Speakers:

Introduction
Andrew Gammie, Biomedical Engineer, United Kingdom

A standard for urodynamic equipment feasible or risible?
Derek Griffiths, Urodynamicist, United States

Urodynamics plus linking urodynamics with methods of pelvic floor assessment ?
Chris Constantinou, Biomedical Engineer, United States

ICS guidelines.How we got here, where we are heading?
Werner Schaefer, Biomedical Engineer, United States

The ICS data file format underused and overdue for use.
Ron van Mastrigt, Biophysicist, Netherlands

4 ICS eLearning Courses are currently available.

Educational Resources from around the World

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