THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLEX REPETITIVE DISCHARGES IN THE STRIATED FEMALE URETHRAL SPHINCTER AND THE MALE BULBOCAVERNOSUS MUSCLE

Pseudomyotonic electromyographic (EMG) activity recorded from the fema le external urethral sphincter, called decelerating bursts and complex repetitive discharges (CRD), are assumed to reflect pathology which m ay cause disturbances in micturition. Out of 477 consecutive neurologi cal and non-neurological patients referred to neuro-urological evaluat ion, as many as 50 presented such bizarre EMG potentials. These were n ot only found in female sphincter, but also in the bulbocavernosus mus cle and the external anal sphincter. A particularly high percentage Na s detected of patients with urinary stress incontinence or peripheral affection of the pelvic floor muscles. It is concluded that CRD may in hibit the normal micturition reflex, and detrusor contraction in parti cular.