title: Bladder reinnervation using a primarily motor donor nerve (femoral nerve branches) is functionally superior to using a primarily sensory donor nerve (genitofemoral nerve).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We determined whether transfer of a primarily motor nerve (femoral) to the anterior vesicle branch of the pelvic nerve would allow for more effective bladder reinnervation than transfer of a primarily sensory nerve (genitofemoral).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 41 female mongrel dogs underwent bladder decentralization and then bilateral nerve transfer, or served as sham operated or unoperated controls. Decentralization was achieved by bilateral transection of all sacral roots that induced bladder contraction upon electrical stimulation. Retrograde neuronal labeling dye was injected in the bladder 3 weeks before sacrifice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased detrusor pressure after direct stimulation of the transferred nerve, lumbar spinal cord or spinal root was observed in 12 of 17 dogs with genitofemoral nerve transfer and in 9 of 10 with femoral nerve transfer (mean ± SEM 7.6 ± 1.4 and 11.7 ± 3.1 cm H2O, respectively). Mean detrusor pressure after direct electrical stimulation of transferred femoral nerves was statistically significantly greater than after stimulation of transferred genitofemoral nerves. Retrograde labeled neurons from the bladder observed in upper lumbar cord segments after genitofemoral and femoral nerve transfer confirmed bladder reinnervation, as did labeled axons at the nerve transfer site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While transfer of a mixed sensory and motor nerve (genitofemoral) or a primarily motor nerve (femoral) can reinnervate the bladder, using the primarily motor nerve provided greater return of nerve evoked detrusor contraction. This surgical approach may be useful to achieve bladder emptying in patients with lower motor spinal cord injury.
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Sandra M
authors: SM
authors: Gomez-Amaya
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Mary F
authors: MF
authors: Barbe
authors: Division of Neurosurgery, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California.
authors: Justin M
authors: JM
authors: Brown
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Neil S
authors: NS
authors: Lamarre
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Alan S
authors: AS
authors: Braverman
authors: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
authors: Vicky S
authors: VS
authors: Massicotte
authors: Shriners Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Electronic address: rugg@temple.edu.
authors: Michael R
authors: MR
authors: Ruggieri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D005267:Femoral Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D016067:Nerve Transfer; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology
keywords: autografts; femoral nerve; innervation; spinal cord injuries; urinary bladder