Urinary continence
From Ganfyd
This article is a stub. Please feel free to expand it and make it more encyclopaedic.
Web Resources for Urinary continence
Relevant Clinical Literature
UK Guidance
Other Wikis
Medpedia on Urinary continence (Less technical, good quality control)
Wikipedia on Urinary continence (Less technical, ? quality control)
Female continence
- Inner urethra composed of longitudinal muscle layer
- Outer urethra composed of semi-circular fibres forming sphincter mechanism (continuation of detrusor muscle)
- under parasympathetic nervous system (cholinergic) control
- Inherent tone of urethra due to elastic tissue, collagen fibres, fascial attachments, voluntary muscle greatest in mid-third
- voluntary muscle (puborectalis) is part of levator ani
- contraction stops micturition completely, acts as external sphincter
- contracts in response to coughing, bearing down, sneezing, heavy lifting
- under control of pudendal nerve
- Transmission of increased abdominal pressure to proximal urethra helps to prevent stress incontinence
