Animal Models for the Study of Post-Micturition Dribble in Aged Male

Abstract

Since attaining middle age, many patients suffer from the post-micturition dribble (PMD) syndrome but do not receive proper treatment. This is because the etiology and treatment mechanisms of PMD differ from conventional lower urinary tract symptoms. Several pathophysiologies have been proposed, but the mechanisms we observed are the weakening of the bulbocavernosus muscle and dilation of the urethra due to atrophy of the cavernosal tissue. This study investigates the mechanism of PMD by observing anatomical changes in the corpus cavernosum and urethra. SD male rats were categorized by age into the young rats group (8 weeks old) and the old rats group (24 months or more). The ratio area of the bulbous urethra and corpus cavernosum to the total penis was statistically significant between both groups (P＜0.05). Significant differences were obtained between the two groups for restored smooth muscle contents and several other parameters related to PMD mechanisms (nNOS, α-SMA) (P＜0.05). The changes in size and parameters of the urethra and corpus cavernosum in young and old rats were confirmed. The results from this study are expected to contribute to the study of PMD in the future.

Keywords

• post micturition dribble
• urethra
• lower urinary tract symptoms