Sacral Anterior Roots (sacral + anterior_root)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Selective block of external anal sphincter activation during electrical stimulation of the sacral anterior roots in a canine model

NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY & MOTILITY, Issue 5 2005
N. Bhadra
Abstract, Our aim was to electrically activate small diameter parasympathetic fibres in the sacral anterior roots, without activating the larger somatic fibres to the external anal sphincter (EAS). Electrodes were implanted on selected roots in five adult dogs. Pressures were recorded from the rectum and EAS. Quasitrapezoidal (Qzt) pulses for selective activation of smaller axons and narrow rectangular (Rct) pulses to activate all fibres were applied. Sphincter block was defined as [(Pmax , Pmin)/Pmax] × 100%. Roots were also tested with 20 Hz trains. In three animals, evacuation of bowel contents was recorded with artificial fecal material. Stimulation with Qzt pulses showed decrease in sphincter recruitment with increasing pulse amplitudes, indicating propagation arrest in the large fibres. The average sphincter suppression was 94.1% in 16 roots implanted. With Qzt pulse trains, the average evoked sphincter pressure was significantly lower than Rct pulses. Evoked rectal pressures were not significantly different. The mean mass of expelled bowel contents of 51.1 g by Qzt trains was significantly higher than that of 14.8 g expelled by Rct trains. Our results demonstrate that this selective stimuli can activate small diameter fibres innervating the distal bowel and result in significant evacuation of rectal contents. [source]


Selective activation of the sacral anterior roots for induction of bladder voiding

NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 2 2006
Narendra Bhadra
Abstract Aim We investigated the efficacy of selective activation of the smaller diameter axons in the sacral anterior roots for electrically induced bladder voiding. Materials and Methods Acute experiments were conducted in five adult dogs. The anterior sacral roots S2 and S3 were implanted bilaterally with tripolar electrodes. Pressures were recorded from the bladder and from the proximal urethra and the external urethral sphincter. A detector and flow meter monitored fluid flow. A complete sacral dorsal rhizotomy was carried out. The effects of two types of pulse trains at 20 Hz were compared; quasitrapezoidal pulses (500 µsec with 500 µsec exponential decay) and interrupted rectangular (100 µsec, 2 sec on/2 sec off). Before rhizotomy, rectangular pulse trains (100 µsec) to activate all fibers were also applied. The experimental design was block randomized before and after rhizotomy. Results Quasitrapezoidal pulses showed block of sphincter activation with average minimum current for maximum suppression of 1.37 mA. All pulse types evoked average bladder pressures above the basal sphincter closure pressure. The pressure patterns in the proximal urethra closely followed the bladder pressures. Before dorsal rhizotomy, stimulation evoked a superadded increase in sphincter pressures with slow rise time. After rhizotomy, the sphincter pressure patterns followed the bladder pressures during selective activation and voiding occurred during stimulation with quasitrapezoidal trains and in between bursts with interrupted rectangular stimulation. Conclusions Selective activation of sacral ventral roots combined with dorsal rhizotomy may provide a viable means of low-pressure continuous voiding in neurological impairment. Neurourol. Urdynam. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]