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Influence of pudendal nerve blockade on stress relaxation in the female urethra
Author(s) -
Thind Peter,
Bagi Per,
Mieszczak Christoffer,
Lose Gunnar
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
neurourology and urodynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1520-6777
pISSN - 0733-2467
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1520-6777(1996)15:1<31::aid-nau3>3.0.co;2-g
Subject(s) - urethra , medicine , blockade , relaxation (psychology) , pudendal nerve , afferent , urology , anesthesia , anatomy , receptor
The urethral pressure decay following a sudden and sustained dilatation corresponds to stress relaxation. Urethral stress relaxation can be described by the equation P t = P equ + P α e ‐t/τα + P β e ‐t/τβ , where P t is the pressure at time t, P equ is the equilibrium pressure after dilatation, P α and P β are pressure decay, and τ α and τ β are time constants. The time constants have previously proved independent of the way the dilatation is performed. The urethral stress relaxation obtained in 10 healthy women before and after pudendal nerve blockade was analysed by the mathematical model and the pressure parameters and time constants determined. The fast time constant, τ β , was reduced by the nerve blockade, whereas τ α was unaffected, however, both P α and P β were reduced. No single stress relaxation parameter can therefore be related to the muscle or the connective tissue components. The method may prove useful in the further evaluation of the closure function of the urethra with special reference to the pathophysiology of stress urinary incontinence. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.