Histological Changes in Parasympathetically Denervated Feline Bladder

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Abstract
Bilateral pelvic nerve section or bilateral section of the sacral roots in cats produces bladder hypertrophy. After unilateral pelvic nerve section no functional or structural changes were observed. 12-16 days after bilateral section of the sacral roots changes in the mucosa consist of edema of the loose connective tissue beneath the compact zone. Hyperplasia and thickening of all components of the muscular layer are seen. The same changes appear after bilateral pelvic nerve section. In addition, active granulation in the serose amounting to 1/3 to 1/2 of the entire thickness of the bladder wall is observed. After either bilateral section of the pelvic nerves or of the sacral roots, the bladder wts. increase several-fold in some animals. In others only small increases are found. The increase in bladder wt. is greatest in animals which show the largest volume of residual urine. As a group the volumes of residual urine and the intravesical pressures are larger in cats in which the pelvic nerves have been sectioned than in those in which the sacral roots have been cut. These differences are explained by the fact that the innervation of the external sphincter is intact in animals in which the pelvic nerves are cut, whereas the pudic nerve fibers are interrupted by sacral root section.