Dilatation of the resting posterior urethra in spinal cord injury patients

In 26 patients with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia after a spinal cord injury the resting posterior urethra at cystography was found either closed as in normal subjects or open to a varying degree. Highest intravesical pressure measured at cystometry during uninhibited detrusor contraction was statistically significantly related to the degree of dilatation of the resting posterior urethra. An even higher correlation coefficient was found between the dilatation of the resting posterior urethra and an arbitrary score calculated on the basis of highest cystometric pressure and duration of disease since spinal cord injury. The possible importance of this finding in relation to incontinence after urethral sphincterotomy is discussed.