Minimally invasive electrical rectal stimulation promotes bowel emptying in an individual with spinal cord injury

Individuals with SCI typically live with neurogenic bowel dysfunction and impaired colonic motility that may significantly impact health and quality of life. Bowel management often includes digital rectal stimulation (DRS) to modulate the recto-colic reflex to promote bowel emptying. This procedure can be time-consuming, caregiver-intensive, and lead to rectal trauma. This study presents a description of using electrical rectal stimulation as an alternative to DRS to help manage bowel emptying in a person with SCI.

We conducted an exploratory case study with a 65-year-old male with a T4 AIS B SCI who normally relies on DRS as the main component of his regular bowel management strategy. In randomly selected bowel emptying sessions during a 6-week period, the participant received burst-pattern electrical rectal stimulation (ERS) (50 mA, 20 pulses/s at 100 Hz), via a rectal probe electrode until bowel emptying was achieved. The primary outcome measure was number of cycles of stimulation required to complete the bowel routine.

17 sessions were performed using ERS. In 16 sessions, a bowel movement was produced after only 1 cycle of ERS. In 13 sessions, complete bowel emptying was achieved with 2 cycles of ERS.

ERS was associated with effective bowel emptying. This work represents the first time ERS has been used to affect bowel emptying in someone with SCI. This approach could be investigated as a tool to evaluate bowel dysfunction, and it could be further refined as a tool for improving bowel emptying.