Smooth muscle electromyography of the urinary bladder

To elucidate smooth muscle activity of the urinary bladder, we utilized an optimized animal model and a specially developed, computer-aided data acquisition and analysis system for bioelectrical signals. Twenty-five Wistar rats were pharmacologically paralyzed and artificially respirated. The urinary bladder was exposed by a suprapubic midabdominal incision, and both ureters were ligated to prevent physiological filling of the bladder. The bladder was initially emptied by slight manual pressure and was then filled via a transurethral catheter in 0.1-ml steps to a maximum of 0.45 ml with physiological saline. A custom-made, gold-plated needle electrode was tangentially guided by a micromanipulator to the smooth muscle of the bladder dome, and the recordings commenced. Furthermore, smooth muscle EMG recordings of the bladder were performed after pharmaco-stimulation of the detrusor with carbachol. Initial results demonstrate that, with the animal model presented here, it is possible to record reproducible and almost artifact-free smooth muscle activity from the urinary bladder. All experiments displayed a stochastic distribution of similar electrical events, increasing in appearance and amplitude with increased bladder volume and after pharmacostimulation with carbachol. Two-dimensional power spectrum analysis revealed a main signal frequency below 1 Hz.