title: Bladder response to acute sacral neuromodulation while treating rats in different phases of complete spinal cord injury: a preliminary study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Compared to conventional therapies, sacral neuromodulation (SNM) may offer an alternative, non-destructive treatment for SCI patients with bladder dysfunction. Understanding bladder response to SNM treatment for SCI in different phases may yield new insights for innovative use of this promising technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study to examine the effects of acute SNM on bladder reflex in complete SCI rats. All rats were anesthetized and set up for continuous saline infusion. Acute SNM treatment was implemented for about 6 hours for each rat. Cystometric parameters, including time between contractions, contraction duration, bladder peak pressure, and number of uninhibited contractions, were analyzed and compared within rats before and after SNM treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the spinally transected rats during early phase (less than two weeks post spinalization), the time between contractions and contraction duration both increased after SNM treatments, yet the increased amplitude was about or less than 20%. For the spinally transected rats with a longer days survival (about two to four weeks post spinalization), the time between contractions and contraction duration substantially increased after SNM treatment and the changes for their average values were more than 90%. For the spinally transected rats with a much longer days survival (more than five weeks post spinalization), the time between contractions and contraction duration increased after SNM treatments, yet the magnitude of changes were less than 30%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggested that the significant effectiveness of SNM for complete SCI played its role after the spinal shock phase and prior to the development of detrusor overactivity. It indicated that the time point of SNM treatment is necessary to be paid attention.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology - University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology - University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Youfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology - University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Hongliu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D059411:Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012447:Sacrum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D062187:Spinal Cord Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000503:physiopathology*