Rigidity of the resting female urethra. Part II. Dynamic measurements.

The relationship between pressure and cross-sectional area in the resting female urethra during its inflation and deflation was examined in 16 female volunteers. This relationship was found to depend on the degree of inflation and deflation, the velocity with which the pressure or cross-sectional area changes were induced and the duration of the inflation. Therefore, the return of intraurethral pressure and rigidity to the starting point after a stress episode depends on the rigidity and hysteresis of the urethra and, as has been demonstrated by the time dependency of these 2 parameters, on the velocity and duration of the stress episode.