ON THE MECHANISM OF THE URETERO-VESICAL SPHINCTER

¹ Research Laboratories and Buckston Browne Surgical Research Farm, Royal College of Surgeons of England

In these experiments on dogs, method used gave readings of bladder pressure, ureteric pressure and ureteric flow.

A bladder pressure of 25 cm. of water caused a cessation of ureteric flow.

With bladder pressures up to 60 cm. of water no demonstrable ureteric reflux was obtained.

Stimulation of the ipsilateral pelvic nerve caused a cessation of ureteric flow irrespective of whether or not the intravesical pressure was raised.

Stimulation of the hypogastric nerves and the lumbar sympathetic chains and section of these various nerves had no effect on ureteric flow.

In the "ringed" ureter experiments, where the distal end of the ureter and surrounding bladder wall was isolated from the rest of the bladder except by mucous membrane, the results were the same as for the intact bladder.

The evidence presented above suggests that the flow of fluid from ureter to bladder is controlled by a sphincter possessing its own intrinsic nervous mechanism.

Note:

The author wished to thank the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of England for permission to work in the Research Laboratories of the College and at the Buckston Browne Surgical Research Farm where this investigation was carried out.