Precise characterization of urinary tract innervation using three-dimensional reconstruction: A contemporary review

Abstract

A precise understanding of the autonomic innervation of the urinary tract is crucial to successful management of urologic disease given the important role that neurophysiology plays in genitourinary pathology. Recent studies using a combination of contemporary histopathology and imaging technologies have furthered our understanding of the spatial nerve distribution in the kidneys, ureters, and bladder. The findings of these recent studies may have important clinical applications in expanding our knowledge of the etiology and treatment of disease processes affecting the urinary tract. In this narrative review, our goal is to provide an overview of the autonomic innervation of the urinary tract. Specifically, we aim to provide a three-dimensional gender-specific description of renal, ureteral and vesical innervation. We also highlight some possible opportunities for clinical and investigational application of this new knowledge.

Keywords: Autonomic nervous system; Bladder innervation; Inervación de la vejiga; Inervación renal; Overactive bladder; Reconstrucción tridimensional; Renal innervation; Sistema nervioso autónomo; Three-dimensional reconstruction; Ureter; Uréter; Vejiga hiperactiva.