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A bilateral pudendal nerve injury model in male rats
Author(s) -
Shalhoub Philip J.,
Brancato Sam J.,
Foecking Eileen M.,
Fargo Keith N.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.26.1_supplement.725.15
Subject(s) - pudendal nerve , medicine , urethra , nerve injury , urology , urinary incontinence , urination , anatomy , surgery , anesthesia , urinary system
Radical prostatectomy typically results in some degree of urinary incontinence, usually due to dysfunction of the urethral rhabdosphincter consequent to pudendal nerve damage. However, while pudendal nerve injury has been studied in relation to female incontinence, it has largely been neglected in the male literature. Here we describe an animal model of male urethral rhabdosphincter dysfunction following bilateral pudendal nerve compression injury. All subjects were young adult male Sprague‐ Dawley rats. Briefly, a horizontal incision was made between the anus and tail, and the pelvic space exposed. The motor branch of the pudendal nerve was visualized in Alcock's canal and crushed bilaterally (sham controls were not injured). Animals were allowed to survive for 2, 4, 7 or 14 days, then tested for leak point pressure prior to sacrifice. Injured animals displayed variable abnormalities of the urogenital system, usually including one or more of the following: marked urinary retention, hydroureteronephrosis, hematuria, retrograde ejaculation, and/or reduced leak point pressure. These results indicate that bilateral pudendal nerve injury in the male rat leads to a complex pathology of the urogenital system and dysfunction of the urethral rhabdosphincter. This model will be useful for future studies aimed at further elucidating the function of the pudendal nerve and urethral rhabdosphincter in males. Grant Funding Source : VA RR&D CDA‐2 B6598W