Pudendal nerve stimulation: a potential tool for neurogenic bowel dysfunction!

Neurogenic bowel disease occurs after damage to the spinal cord, which affects the bowel's extrinsic innervation resulting in a lack of control of the colon with incontinence or constipation. To avoid more invasive procedures, sacral and pudendal nerve stimulation (PNS) have been recently considered as emerging treatment for patients with intractable constipation. In particular, PNS effects are thought to be secondary to interactions between the somatic and autonomic pathways within both the spinal cord and higher centers. Thus, PNS may be considered a potential tool in the treatment of neurogenic bowel dysfunction, even after a complete spinal cord damage.