Sacral anterior root stimulation improves bowel function in subjects with spinal cord injury
Abstract
Study design Cross-sectional study. Objective To evaluate the long-term effect of the sacral anterior root stimulator (SARS) on neurogenic bowel dysfunction in a large, well defined spinal cord injury (SCI) cohort. Setting Department of Neuro-Urology, Bad Wildungen, Germany. Methods Subjects undergone surgery at for SARS-SDAF (sacral deafferentation) between September 1986 and July 2011 (n=587) answered a questionnaire. In total, 277 SARS subjects were available for the baseline (recall) and follow-up comparison. Results Median age was 49 years (range: 19-80), time from SCI to surgery was 10 years (range: 0-49) and from surgery to follow-up 13 (range: 1-25). Of the responders 73% used SARS for bowel emptying. On visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0-10 (best), satisfaction with SARS was 10. Baseline and follow-up comparison showed a decline in the median VAS score 0-10 (worst) for bowel symptoms from 6 (range: 4-8) to 4 (range: 2-6), P Conclusions The SARS has the potential to be one of the few treatment methods targeting multiple organ dysfunctions following SCI.
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In selected patients with spinal cord injury, computerized stimulation of the sacral anterior roots may improve pelvic colonic and anorectal sphincter function, generally in conjunction with S2-S4 posterior sacral rhizotomy to reduce the risk of autonomic dysreflexia.
“In selected patients, computerized stimulation of the sacral anterior roots may improve pelvic colonic and anorectal sphincter function, generally in conjunction with S2–S4 posterior sacral rhizotomy to reduce the risk of autonomic dysreflexia (Rasmussen et al., 2015; Valles et al., 2009).”
From Autonomic nervous system and gastrointestinal manifestations with an emphasis on gastric dysfunction (2026) · cites this paper as Rasmussen et al., 2015
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- Authors
- Rasmussen, M. M., Kutzenberger, J., Krogh, K., Zepke, F., Bodin, C., Domurath, B., & Christensen, P.
- Affiliations
- Aarhus University Hospital (DK)
- Werner-Wicker-Klinik (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Rasmussen, M M
- Venue
- Spinal Cord
- Published
- 2015-01-20
- Volume
- 53
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 297-301
- ISSN
- 1362-4393 (ISSN-L)
- 1476-5624
- OpenAlex
- W2066636914
- Cited by
- 47
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 2.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Spinal Cord (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Lundbeckfonden (R34-2009-3974)
- H. Lundbeck A/S
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Spinal Cord Injury Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Urinary Bladder and Prostate Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Pelvic floor disorders treatments
- Keywords
- sacral anterior root stimulation, spinal cord injury, neurogenic bowel dysfunction, bowel emptying, constipation, long-term outcomes, patient satisfaction
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Constipation, Cross-Sectional Studies, Electric Stimulation Therapy, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sacrum, Spinal Cord Injuries, Spinal Nerve Roots, Treatment Outcome, Neurogenic Bowel, Young Adult
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