Background/Aims/Objectives: To verify the transfer of evoked potentials through anastomosis of an experimentally created micturition reflex arc and to detect said potentials directly on the detrusor and sphincter of rabbit urinary bladder. Methods: During 2013-2015, 17 rabbits were operated upon and measurement followed during reoperation 3-16 months later. Suitable ventral spinal roots were electrophysiologically detected following laminectomy, and a somatic-central nervous system-autonomic micturition reflex arc was created. During reoperation, the ventral root was stimulated above and below the anastomosis, the evoked potentials on the bladder detrusor and sphincter were measured, and intravesical pressure was monitored. Results: With stimulation above the anastomosis, 9 animals (53%) displayed a urinary bladder detrusor response and 7 (41%) a sphincter response. Four rabbits (24%) had elevated intravesical pressure. During the control stimulation below the anastomosis, we detected a detrusor response in 7 animals (41%), a sphincter response in 5 (29%), and elevated pressure in 4 (24%). Neither induction of micturition nor decrease in external sphincter activity occurred. Conclusions: Creation of a somatic-CNS-autonomic reflex arc is technically possible. However reflex activity transferring through the anastomosis is detectable on the detrusor only in some individuals, and is unable to induce a micturition reflex with or without accompanying detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.