Treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity in spinal cord injured patients by conditional electrical stimulation

PURPOSE: The feasibility of automatic event driven electrical stimulation of the dorsal penile/clitoral nerve in the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) was evaluated in individuals with spinal cord injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 2 women and 14 men older than 18 years with NDO, bladder capacity below 500 ml and complete or incomplete suprasacral spinal cord injury. Detrusor pressure (Pdet) was recorded during ordinary, natural bladder filling. In a similar subsequent recording Pdet was used to trigger electrical stimulation when pressure exceeded 10 cm H2O.

RESULTS: Of the 16 patients enrolled in this study 13 had increased bladder capacity together with a storage pressure decrease as a result of automatic, event driven electrical stimulation. In 2 patients stimulation could not inhibit the first undesired contraction, leakage occurred and finally 1 could not tolerate stimulation. During stimulated filling Pdet never exceeded 55 cm H2O. Thus, storage pressure was sufficiently low to prevent kidney damage. An average bladder capacity increase of 53% was achieved.

CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the feasibility of automatic, event driven electrical stimulation in the treatment of NDO. Although the setup in this experiment is not suitable in a clinical setting, the treatment modality is promising and it warrants further investigation.