title: The inhibitory effects of pudendal nerve stimulation on bladder overactivity in spinal cord injury dogs: is early stimulation necessary?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the inhibitory effects of pudendal nerve stimulation (5 Hz) on bladder overactivity at early and late stages of spinal cord injury in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in eight dogs with chronic spinal cord transection at the T9-T10 level. Group 1 (four dogs) underwent electrical stimulation of pudendal nerve one month after spinal cord transection. Group 2 (four dogs) underwent stimulation six months after spinal cord transection. The bladders were removed for histological examination of fibrosis after the stimulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The bladder capacity and the compliance were significantly increased (p < 0.05) by pudendal nerve stimulation in group 1, but not in group 2. The nonvoiding contractions were inhibited in both groups by electrical stimulation. Collagen fiber was increased, while elastic fiber was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in group 2 when compared with group 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pudendal nerve stimulation can increase the bladder capacity and compliance only during the early period before the bladder wall becomes fibrosit and can inhibit the nonvoiding contraction during two stages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, China Rehabilitation Research Center, School of Rehabilitation Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Guoqing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yanhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ju
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003187:Compliance; D004285:Dogs; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D060525:Pudendal Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology*