Areflexive bladder is characterized by which of the following?

Areflexive bladder is characterized by which of the following?

• A. Detrusor contracts and sphincters relax
• B. Bladder does not contract, leading to continuous filling
• C. Detrusor contracts and external sphincter tightens
• D. Detrusor contracts and internal sphincter tightens

Answer: (B)

In an areflexive bladder, the detrusor muscle loses its reflex ability to contract in response to filling, so the bladder cannot actively empty. Without a contraction to push urine out, filling continues and urinary retention occurs, which is captured by the statement that the bladder does not contract, leading to continuous filling. The other patterns describe different dysfunctions: normal voiding is detrusor contraction with sphincter relaxation; detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia involves detrusor contraction with improper external sphincter tightening; and detrusor contraction with internal sphincter tightening suggests incomplete relaxation of the internal sphincter during voiding.

In an areflexive bladder, the detrusor muscle loses its reflex ability to contract in response to filling, so the bladder cannot actively empty. Without a contraction to push urine out, filling continues and urinary retention occurs, which is captured by the statement that the bladder does not contract, leading to continuous filling. The other patterns describe different dysfunctions: normal voiding is detrusor contraction with sphincter relaxation; detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia involves detrusor contraction with improper external sphincter tightening; and detrusor contraction with internal sphincter tightening suggests incomplete relaxation of the internal sphincter during voiding.