International Conference on Computational and Experimental Biomedical Sciences ICCEBS 2013 Ponta Delgada, S. Miguel Island, Azores Mechanical Properties of the Male Urethra Pedro S. Martins†1 , Renato M. Natal-Jorge†2, Mário J. Gomes‡3, Rui S. Versos‡4, A. Santos§ ∗ †IDMEC-Polo FEUP, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto. Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal [email protected], [email protected] ‡Depart. of Urology - Santo António Hospital Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, 4099-001 Porto, Portugal [email protected], [email protected] §INML - Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal, North Branch Jardim Carrilho Videira, 4050-167 Porto, Portugal [email protected] Keywords: Male urethra; Hyperelasticity; Mechanical Properties Abstract. Medical doctors divide the male urethra into different portions. A common designation of the urethral segment that passes through the prostate gland is the Prostatic Urethra (PU). PU includes the urethral sphincter which is connected to the bladder and constitutes a fundamental element of the continence/bladder relief mechanisms. Starting on the prostate gland, the shortest urethral region (~1 cm length) is called the Membranous Urethra (MU). This segment ends in the perineum. The last portion of the urethra is called the spongy urethra (SU) which extends through the length of the penis [1]. A common affliction of middle-aged and elderly man is Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), often in connection with prostate problems, namely benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer. The surgical treatment of these conditions, the prostatectomy is often followed by Urinary Incontinence (UI) which brings discomfort, low quality of life and even severe social exclusion and psychological problems. Despite the severity and spread of these problems there is a lack of understanding of the fundamental mechanical and functional aspects of the urinary sphincter and the role of the urethra on the continence mechanisms. This work aims to study and compare the mechanical behavior of the different urethral segments. References [1] R. R. Seeley, T. D. Stephens, Philip Tate: Anatomy & Physiology, 6th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2003. .