Electrical stimulation of the urethra evokes bladder contractions and emptying in spinal cord injury men: Case studies

This study explores whether electrical stimulation of the urethra can cause the bladder to contract and empty in men with spinal cord injuries. The goal is to develop a device that uses electrical stimulation to restore bladder control. Two men with spinal cord injuries participated in the study. A catheter with electrodes was placed in their urethra, and electrical stimulation was applied to see if it could trigger bladder contractions and emptying. The results showed that electrical stimulation of the urethra did evoke bladder contractions and emptying in both subjects, suggesting this could be a potential method for bladder management in SCI patients.

• 1
  Electrical stimulation of the prostatic urethra evoked bladder contractions that emptied the bladder in both subjects.
• 2
  In the first subject, stimulation (9–12 mA, 20 Hz) emptied 64–75%, leaving post-void residual volumes (PVRs) of 41–20 ml.
• 3
  In the second subject, stimulation (20 mA, 20 Hz) emptied 68–77%, leaving PVRs of 56–45 ml.