Successful Intraspinal Extradural Sacral Nerve Stimulation for Bladder Emptying in a Victim of Traumatic Spinal Cord Transection

Abstract

This report concerns a patient with a functionally complete spinal cord transection due to trauma at T-6. Her clinical syndrome of a motor and sensory paraplegia was accompanied by hyperreflexic detrusor dysfunction. Radiofrequency-coupled bilateral stimulation of the 3rd sacral nerves in their intraspinal but extradural course achieved reliable, effective emptying of the bladder. This single case suggests that successful stimulation of the sacral neural outflow may not require intrathecal placement of stimulating electrodes, sensory rhizotomy, or pudendal neurotomy. (Neurosurgery 19:955-961, 1986)