Perioperative Betamethasone Treatment Reduces Signs of Bladder Dysfunction in a Rat Model for Neurapraxia in Female Urogenital Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Information on autonomic neurapraxia in female urogenital surgery is scarce, and a model to study it is not available. OBJECTIVE: To develop a model to study the impact of autonomic neurapraxia on bladder function in female rats, as well as to assess the effects of corticosteroid therapy on the recovery of bladder function in this model. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to bilateral pelvic nerve crush (PNC) and perioperatively treated with betamethasone or vehicle. Bladder function and morphology of bladder tissue were evaluated and compared with sham-operated rats. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Western blot, immunohistochemistry, organ bath experiments, and cystometry. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Sham-operated rats exhibited regular micturitions without nonvoiding contractions (NVCs). Crush of all nerve branches of the pelvic plexus or PNC resulted in overflow incontinence and/or NVCs. Betamethasone treatment improved recovery of regular micturitions (87.5% compared with 27% for vehicle; p<0.05), reduced lowest bladder pressure (8±2cm H(2)O compared with 21±5cm H(2)O for vehicle; p