Changes in vascular resistance in the feline urinary bladder in response to bladder filling

The effect of bladder filling on vesical blood flow was studied in anesthetized cats. The pelvic nerves were sectioned and the bladder venous outflow was recorded by a drop counter. Filling of the bladder induced a sustained increase in vesical blood flow, related to the bladder volume. Thus, injection of 10, 20 and 30 ml. of saline decreased bladder vascular resistance by 27, 47 and 52 per cent, respectively. This vasodilation occurred despite a steady state increase in bladder pressure by 25 to 50 cm. H2O. Upon emptying of the bladder, blood flow decreased towards control values. The response was unaffected by alpha-adrenoceptor blockade (phentolamine), beta-adrenoceptor blockade (propranolol) and muscarinic cholinoceptor blockade (atropine). The vasodilation was eliminated by papaverine, indicating that the response was not due to a rearrangement of the vessels at large bladder volumes. The vasodilation was not associated with any increase in the concentrations of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) or substance P in the venous effluent blood. Indomethacin significantly reduced the vasodilatation induced by filling. We conclude that local mechanisms, possibly involving release of prostaglandins, are involved in the vasodilation following bladder distension.