Abstract

Measurements on a normal male of the radius and speed of the urine stream, and the relation between them, are described. The tendency of the radius to increase with increasing stream speed is evidence that the urethral walls are elastic. The theoretical connection between the stream characteristics and urethral elasticity is developed and used to deduce the elastic properties of the urethra at the point which controls the stream (the distal constriction). Direct measurements of the pressure in the resting urethra of the same subject, using catheters of different radii, give further information on the elastic properties of the urethra between the external meatus and the external sphincter. The flow and pressure measurements together show that in this subject the stream is controlled about 3 cm from the external meatus. At this point the urethra behaves like an elastic walled tube of unstretched radius (0·16±0·02) cm, subject to an external pressure of (18±3) cm H2O, and the urethral walls have an average elastic constant per unit length of order 6×103 dyn cm−2 (6 cm H2O).

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