The importance of complex repetitive discharges in the striated female urethral sphincter and the male bulbocavernosus muscle.

Pseudomyotonic electromyographic (FMG) activity recorded from the female external urethal sphincter called decelerating bursts and complex repetitive discharges (CRD), are assumed to reflect pathology which may cause disturbances in micturition. Out of 477 consecutive neurological and non-neurological patients referred to neuro-urological evaluation, as many as 50 presented such bizarre EMG potentials. These were not only found in female sphincter, but also in the bulbocavernosus muscle and the external and sphincter. A particularly high percentage was detected of patients with urinary stress incontinence or peripheral affection of the pelvic floor muscles. It is concluded that CRD may inhibit the normal micturition reflex, and detrusor contraction in particular.