P. Thind et al., THE EFFECT OF PHARMACOLOGICAL STIMULATION AND BLOCKADE OF AUTONOMIC RECEPTORS AND OF PUDENDAL BLOCKADE ON URETHRAL STRESS-RELAXATION IN HEALTHY WOMEN, British Journal of Urology, 74(1), 1994, pp. 86-92
Objective To examine the influence of autonomic receptor stimulation a
nd blockade (noradrenaline, prazosin, terbutaline, propranolol, carbac
hol and atropine), and of pudendal nerve blockade on urethral stress r
elaxation. Subjects and methods Forty healthy women were evaluated. Th
e stress relaxation parameter was defined as the relative rate of pres
sure decrease during a fixed period of time following a rapid dilatati
on of the urethra. The dilatation was performed by water-infusion into
a small rubber cylinder placed in the urethra. Results The drugs did
not affect stress relaxation significantly, whereas the pudendal block
ade produced a significant change along the length of the urethra char
acterized by a faster pressure decay following dilatation. Conclusion
In women, stress relaxation in the urethra relies significantly on the
pudendal nerve-innervated striated muscles.