Preservation of striated-muscle urethral sphincter function with use of a surgical technique for perineal urethrostomy in cats

Abstract

It has been reported that perineal urethrostomy resulted in impairment of striated-muscle urethral sphincter function in male cats, as measured by urethral pressure profilometry and electromyography (EMG). Our study was undertaken to describe and evaluate a surgical technique for perineal urethrostomy that reduces trauma to the urethral branches of the pudendal nerve. Perineal urethrostomy was performed on 10 healthy neutered cats after demonstrating that they had normal urethral sphincter function by urethral pressure profilometry (maximal urethral closure pressure [MUCP] = 151 +/- 52 cm of water) and EMG activity at the level of the striated-muscle sphincter before surgery. All cats had normal urethral sphincter function 1 week (MUCP = 194 +/- 19 cm of water, EMG activity present) and 3 weeks (MUCP greater than 200 cm of water, EMG activity present) after surgery. These results indicated that preservation of the urethral branches of the pudendal nerve during urethrostomy preserved striated-muscle urethral sphincter function.