It is generally accepted that the urinary bladder of the dog is innervated by two nerves; namely, the hypogastric nerve originating from L
1-L
3, which is sympathetic, and the pelvic nerve originating from S
1-S
3, parasympathetic. Since the nature of the “Basal Rhythm of the Bladder (BR)” has been examined corresponding to the various selective sections of related nerves, the author has had to assume that the lower lumbar segment of the spinal cord would have some important role on the functional control of the urinary bladder. Therefore, to clarify the mode of the innervation, patho-physiological alteration of the vesical function and retrograde urethral resistance 3 weeks after selective section of the lower lumbar spinal nerves (L
5-L
7) was examined, as well as the vesical response against selective electrical stimulation on an adequate area in the lumbar spinal cord, and also on the histological aspect of the vesical wall after the nerve section. The results obtained were as follows:
1) The spinal reflex contraction of the bladder observed on the cystometrogram was disappeared after bilateral resection of the ventral root and the spinal ganglion, section of the ventral root, resection of the spinal ganglion, proximal section of the dorsal root or the ventral-and-dorsal roots, of the L
5-L
7 lumbar nerves, as well as bilateral section of the ventral rami of the same lumbar nerves. But it was retained after bilateral interganglionic (L
3-4) section of the sympathetic chains, or resection of the L
7 and S
1 sympathetic ganglions.
2) The basic tonicity of the vesical wall had increased after proximal section of the ventral-and-dorsal roots of the L
5-7 lumbar nerves, or bilateral section of the ventral rami of the same nerves. But it had decreased after bilateral resection of the ventral root and the spinal ganglion of the same nerves.
3) The maximal intravesical pressure in adaptaion phase had increased in most cases after the nerve section, except the case with bilateral interganglionic (L
3-4) section of the sympathetic chains.
The vesical capacity had decreased after bilateral section of the ventral root, proxima section of the dorsal root or the ventral-and-dorsal root, and bilateral section of the ventral rami, of the L
5-L
7 lumbar nerves, as well as the resection of the L
7 and S
1 sympathetic ganglions. But it had increased after bilateral resection of the ventral root and the spinal ganglion, or resection of the spinal ganglion of the L
5-L
7 lumbar nerves.
4) The “Basal Rhythm of the Bladder (BR)” had been activated after bilateral resection of the ventral root and the spinal ganglion, or proximal section of the ventral-and-dorsal root of the L
5-L
7 lumbar nerves. But it was depressed after proximal section of the dorsal root of the same nerves.
5) The retrograde urethral resistance had decreased after selective section of the L
5-L
7 lumbar nerves, and retained at lower value over 3 weeks after the nerve section. The degree of its decrement was over 50% of the preoperative state in most cases, bit it was under 40% of the value in the case of proximal scetion of the dorsal root of the same nerves.
A significant decrement of urethral resistance was found also in the case of bilateral section of the ventral rami of the same nerves, but it had not been changed after bilateral interganglionic (L
3-4) section of the sympathetic chains, or bilateral resection of the L
7 and S
1 sympathetic ganglions.
6) The histological aspect of the bladder wall 3 weeks after the nerve section had not revealed any systemic character corresponding to the kind of nerve section. But it was rather significant in the most cases with sel
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