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Long-term effect of sphincteric fatigue during bladder neurostimulation
1Urology Research Laboratory, Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
The Journal of Urology
|January 1, 1995
Summary
A new computerized electrical stimulator effectively empties bladders in dogs with spinal cord injuries. This novel system reduces bladder outlet resistance without requiring surgical nerve cutting, offering a promising alternative for clinical applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Neuroscience
- Urology
Background:
- Current electrical stimulators have limitations in multi-channel capability and parameter flexibility.
- These limitations hinder the clinical application of electrical stimulation for bladder dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a novel computerized electrical stimulator system.
- To assess the system's efficacy in achieving bladder evacuation in an animal model with spinal cord transection.
Main Methods:
- Developed a programmable, multichannel electrical stimulator with flexible stimulation parameters.
- Utilized the system to induce reversible external sphincter fatigue via the pudendal nerve in 8 dogs.
- Determined optimal stimulation parameters for reliable bladder emptying over an 8-month experimental period.
Main Results:
- The new system successfully generated a wide range of stimulation characteristics.
- Achieved effective bladder emptying by inducing external sphincter fatigue without rhizotomy.
- Demonstrated the system's ability to reduce bladder outlet resistance reliably.
Conclusions:
- The developed computerized electrical stimulation system is effective for bladder evacuation in a spinal cord injury model.
- This approach offers a method to reduce bladder outlet resistance without surgical nerve sectioning.
- The system shows potential for broader clinical applications in managing neurogenic bladder dysfunction.