THE IMPACT OF SACRAL ROOT ANATOMY ON SELECTIVE ELECTRICAL-STIMULATIONFOR BLADDER EVACUATION

Although different structures have been studied with electrostimulatio n to elict bladder evacuation, only the sacral root remains feasible f or clinical application at present. However, the resultant concomitant contractions of the bladder and sphincteric muscles have been the pri ncipal problem over the last few decades. Attempts to identify fibers within the sacral ventral root that innervate the detrusor predominant ly have been made by microsurgery alone or in combination with advance d electrical blocking techniques. This article evaluates our past and present efforts to achieve voiding in light of the mixed nature of sac ral root anatomy.