USE OF ABDOMINAL FASCIA TO CREATE PARTIAL OUTLET OBSTRUCTION IN RABBITS

Partial outlet obstruction has been used for a considerable period of time as an animal model for the urodynamic changes that occur with the progressive obstruction of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Althou gh there are many models of partial outlet obstruction, one common fea ture is that the degree of obstruction produced is inconsistent. The c urrent study evaluates the responses of the bladder to a partial outle t obstruction created using an autologous fascial collar from harveste d rectus fascia. The results demonstrate that although there was a mod erate and variable increase in bladder mass, the alterations in the co ntractile responses to field stimulation (FS), carbamyl choline (carba chol), KCl, and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) were less severe than other models of partial outlet obstruction. Specifically, there was an approximate 40% decrease in the magnitude of the contractile response to FS but no significant changes in the magnitude of the contractile responses to carbachol, KCl, or ATP. Further analysis of the contracti le responses demonstrated that there was a greater decrease in the rat e of tension generation than in the magnitude of response for FS, and a significant increase in the time to maximal tension. Although there were no decreases in the magnitude of the responses to carbachol, KCl, or ATP, there were significant reductions in the rate of tension gene ration for carbachol and KCl and significant increases in the time to maximal tension for carbachol and ATP. Applying less tension over a wi der area, the fascial collar provided a consistent and reproducible mi ld partial outlet obstruction. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.