## 1 Introduction  
Low urinary tract dysfunctions and symptoms (LUTS) are common conditions for both men and women, with the incidence increasing with age [1; 2]. The presence of moderate-to-severe LUTS is estimated worldwide to be 26% for people in their 40s, 33% in their 60s, 42% in their 70s and nearly 50% for those over 80 [3]. These numbers mean that LUTS become a societal problem in ageing demographics, associated to developed countries. Among the LUTS, urinary incontinence (UI) is a dysfunction which affects nearly 400 million people around the world [4]. Overall, 3 to 11% of the patients are men [5; 6]. A UI is defined as an involuntary loss of urine [7; 8] and stands out as a widespread LUTS social and hygienic problem. A UI could present as stress, urge, overflow and functional incontinence [9]. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary loss of urine during daily activities, such as physical activities, laughing or coughing, as a consequence of the increased pressure applied on the abdomen [10]. SUI might be caused by the loss of the anatomic support of the urethra and bladder due to age or a urethral sphincter deficiency [10]. Urge incontinence is characterised by a sudden and strong desire to void, which could be associated to hypersensitivity [10], while overflow incontinence is characterised by urine loss associated with overdistension of the bladder. Finally, functional incontinence occurs due to external factors to the lower urinary tract, such as cognitive or physical limitations that impair the ability to perceive the need to void or to reach a toilet in a timely manner [10]. In addition, these medical conditions may occur alone and combined with other disorders [10]. Whether as a consequence of previous pathologies or combined with them, LUTS add to the suffering of affected patients [10]. A kidney stone is a typical example of a painful urological disorder characterised by crystal concretions within the kidneys, which affects about 12% of the world's population [11; 12] and has associated LUTS. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is another common pathology [13], is defined as an enlargement of the prostate gland and affects up to 60% of men at the age of 90 years old [2]. BPH disease primarily results in a constriction of the urethra and consequently resistance to urinary flow. It could take the form of urgency, frequency, noturia and a weak urine stream with incomplete emptying [14]. However, if these symptoms are not treated, they could evolve into something more serious, such as urinary retention, recurrent urinary tract infections and/or obstructed uropathy [15]. In general, LUTS-associated pathologies are debilitating conditions with a severe impact on patients' routines and overall well-being [7; 8]. There is a notable reduction in social relationships and activities and an impact on self-esteem [16]. Additionally, these disorders lead to expensive health expenditures [14], e.g., in the United States of America, the costs might ascend to 4 billion USD each year [17]. Medical treatments for LUTS have evolved over the last decade, including the availability of numerous drugs, such as \(\alpha\)-blockers, \(5\alpha\)-reductase inhibitors, antimuscarinics, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5 Is) and intradetrusor injections of botulinum toxin [18]. Today, these therapeutics are considered standard procedures [18]; however, not all patients with LUTS respond satisfactorily. In extreme cases, an invasive approach through implantable devices might be the only solution [19], resulting in a significant discomfort among patients. To mitigate LUTS-associated symptoms and their consequences, the mechanical behaviour of both normal and LUTS-affected urethra can be an important tool. Because it is difficult to obtain human samples for ex vivo experiments [20], a possible research avenue could rely on using a replacement of the human urethra with similar mechanical properties, such as equine, rabbit or porcine urethrae. [PERSON] et al.