On the morphology and pathology of the internal urethral orifice

Basing his observations on the arrangement of the vesical musculature, author outlines the physiological phenomena occurring in the vicinity of the internal urethral orifice. He has found that the proximal portion of the posterior part of the urethra suffices to ensure continence at rest, while on exertion urine escapes if the external sphincter is defective. All morphological alterations accompanying disturbances of vesical innervation occur in the neighbourhood of the internal orifice. Endoscopy supplies information about the cause of nervous disorders. It is important that examinations of this kind be performed during micturition and not only when the bladder is at rest. by doing so it is possible to distinguish between urinary phenomena due to higher (cervical, cerebral) and lower (thoracic) neural lesions.