AMA Criteria for Permanent Impairment Associated with Bladder Disease

A disorder of the urinary bladder can result in permanent impairment that can be quantified using the AMA criteria.

Parameters:

(1) signs and symptoms

(2) requirement for treatment

(3) bladder control

Signs and symptoms of urinary bladder disease:

(1) urinary frequency (

(2) nocturia (severe if > 3 times per night)

(3) urgency

(4) dribbling

(5) incontinence

(6) hematuria

Signs and Symptoms	Need for Treatment	Control	Impairment of the Whole Person
none	none	full	0%
mild to moderate	intermittent	normal between malfunctioning episodes	0 - 15%
severe	continuous	reduced	16 – 40%
severe with poor reflex activity	continuous	no voluntary control	41 - 70%

where:

• Poor reflex activity is indicted by intermittent dribbling, loss of control and urinary urgency.

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