Urethral pressure profiles following radical hysterectomy.

Urethral function following radical hysterectomy was studied by chronologic analysis of the urethral pressure profile. Thirty patients who had radical hysterectomy were divided into 2 groups according to the degree of preservation of the plexus pelvicus at operation. The method of complete preservation is described. Urethral pressure profiles showed a significant postoperative decrease of mean maximum urethral closure pressure in the group of 20 patients with bilateral nerve transection; this was not found in the group of 10 patients with complete preservation of the plexus pelvicus. The decrease was ascribed to possible damage of sympathetic nerves originating from the hypogastric nerve. The results indicated that postoperative abnormalities in urination are caused by damage not only to the parasympathetic nerves (the pelvis nerve) but to the sympathetic nerves (the hypogastric nerve) as well.