Effect of estrogen on urethral function and nerve regeneration following pudendal nerve crush in the female rat.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that estrogen promotes improvement in urethral function and nerve regeneration following bilateral pudendal nerve crush in ovariectomized female rats.

Materials And Methods: A total of 52 female rats underwent ovariectomy 6 days before bilateral pudendal nerve crush. Estrogen and sham capsules were subcutaneously implanted at the time of nerve crush in 16 and 14 of these rats, respectively, while 22 served as unoperated controls.

Short-term functional and neuroregenerative response of the urethra to ovariectomy and vaginal distension in female rats.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) and vaginal distension (VD) on leak point pressure (LPP) and pudendal nerve regenerative response in the female rat. Twenty rats underwent OVX 3 days prior to either VD or sham distension. Seventeen rats did not receive OVX but underwent either VD or sham distension.

Functional and neuroanatomical effects of vaginal distention and pudendal nerve crush in the female rat.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that neuroanatomical degeneration near the external urethral sphincter (EUS) would parallel urinary dysfunction after vaginal distention or bilateral pudendal nerve crush in female rats.

Materials And Methods: A total of 28 female rats underwent bilateral pudendal nerve crush or vaginal distention, or were unoperated controls. Two days later a catheter was implanted into the bladder dome and 2 days after that (4 days after injury) urethral leak point pressure testing was performed with the rat under urethane anesthesia.

Bladder pressure monitoring during intermittent catheterization: a comparison of gauges and methods.

Aims: We previously have investigated a technique for serial bladder pressure measurements in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) using intermittent catheterization. In the current study, we compared an FDA-approved digital gauge with the previously studied analog gauge and studied the effects of hydrostatic pressure differences.

Methods: Either a digital or an analog pressure gauge was attached to each subject's catheter just before bladder catheterization.