The effect of pharmacological stimulation and blockade of autonomic receptors and of pudendal blockade on urethral stress relaxation in healthy women.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of autonomic receptor stimulation and blockade (noradrenaline, prazosin, terbutaline, propranolol, carbachol and atropine), and of pudendal nerve blockade on urethral stress relaxation.


METHODS
Forty healthy women were evaluated. The stress relaxation parameter was defined as the relative rate of pressure decrease during a fixed period of time following a rapid dilatation 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 blockade produced a significant change along the length of the urethra characterized by a faster pressure decay following dilatation.


CONCLUSIONS
In women, stress relaxation in the urethra relies significantly on the pudendal nerve-innervated striated muscles.
Thind
P
P
Department of Urology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Lose
G
G
Colstrup
H
H
Andersson
K E
KE
D000328:Adult; D001285:Atropine; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002217:Carbachol; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009126:Muscle Relaxation; D009407:Nerve Block; D009638:Norepinephrine; D011224:Prazosin; D011312:Pressure; D011433:Propranolol; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013726:Terbutaline; D014521:Urethra / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000502:physiology
D001285:Atropine; D002217:Carbachol; D011433:Propranolol; D013726:Terbutaline; D009638:Norepinephrine; D011224:Prazosin