On the flow through the human female urethra

The flow characteristic for a human female urethra is determined by direct measurement of flow rate and pressure difference data. The measurements are made on a full-scale physical model of a urethra in its open state, which was created using dimensional information taken from video cystograms. The measured data therefore include viscous dissipation effects associated with developing flow, changes in cross-sectional area and changes in flow direction. These effects are often ignored in mathematical models of this system. The data may therefore assist in the development and testing of more realistic models for urine flow. The measured characteristic is compared with a mathematical model of the flow based on a straight tube of uniform diameter carrying fully developed turbulent flow. When the diameter of the model tube is chosen to be equal to the distal diameter of the urethra, it is observed that the predicted flow characteristic provides a good first approximation to the measured characteristic, despite the substantial differences in geometry and flow regime between the mathematical model and the actual system.