The contractile and metabolic effects of acute ischemia on the rabbit urinary bladder.

The present study determined the effect of 1 hour of in vivo ischemia on the response of the rabbit urinary bladder to specific autonomic agonists and on the intracellular adenosine triphosphate content. A 48 per cent decrease in the contractile response of the base to the alpha agonist methoxamine was noted. A 42 per cent decrease in the response of the bladder body to bethanechol was found. Neither tissue improved significantly after a 1-week recovery period. Ischemia caused an immediate 80 per cent decrease in the intracellular adenosine triphosphate content that improved to 50 per cent of control with a 1-week recovery period. Although the site of the defect is not definitely identified, acute ischemia resulted in a decreased contractile response that could result in bladder dysfunction.