Electrical stimulation of dog pudendal nerve regulates the excitatory pudendal-to-bladder reflex

Neural Regen Res. 2016 Apr;11(4):676-81. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.180757.

Abstract

Pudendal nerve plays an important role in urine storage and voiding. Our hypothesis is that a neuroprosthetic device placed in the pudendal nerve trunk can modulate bladder function after suprasacral spinal cord injury. We had confirmed the inhibitory pudendal-to-bladder reflex by stimulating either the branch or the trunk of the pudendal nerve. This study explored the excitatory pudendal-to-bladder reflex in beagle dogs, with intact or injured spinal cord, by electrical stimulation of the pudendal nerve trunk. The optimal stimulation frequency was approximately 15-25 Hz. This excitatory effect was dependent to some extent on the bladder volume. We conclude that stimulation of the pudendal nerve trunk is a promising method to modulate bladder function.

Keywords: electrical stimulation; nerve regeneration; neural regeneration; neurogenic bladder; neuromodulation; pudendal nerve; spinal cord injury; urodynamics; voiding reflex.