Antenatal urodynamic studies in the fetal lamb: experimental protocol and preliminary results.
OBJECTIVE
To set up a fetal lamb model for intrauterine fetal urodynamic studies.


METHODS
Fourteen fetal lambs underwent placement of a bladder catheter at a mean gestational age of 87 days. Three fetuses also had a partial urethral obstruction by the simultaneous placement of a peri-urethral constricting ring. Urodynamic and ultrasound studies were performed weekly by the filling cystometry method.


RESULTS
Hundred and six voiding cycles were recorded during 25 urodynamic studies between 84- and 133-days gestation. All voiding profiles were biphasic with a mean duration of 4.2 min (range 1-10), a mean voiding pressure of 23 cm of water (range 7-33) and a mean periodicity of 19.2 min (range 11-50). The obstructed animals had bladder overactivity. This correlated with ultrasound and post-mortem findings of megacystis and bilateral hydroureteronephrosis. The fetal mortality rate was 85.7% and the mean duration of survival post surgery was 45 +/- 5.7 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Serial urodynamic studies could be performed in a fetal lamb model. Following partial urethral obstruction, bladder overactivity was observed.
de Tayrac
Renaud
R
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK. renaud.detayrac@abc.ap-hop-paris.fr
Cuckow
Peter Malcom
PM
Devlieger
Roland
R
Deprest
Jan
J
Bogaert
Guy
G
Ville
Yves
Y
D000818:Animals; D003250:Constriction; D005865:Gestational Age; D006869:Hydronephrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012756:Sheep / Q000196:embryology*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014524:Urethral Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014563:Urodynamics / Q000502:physiology*