Effects and Mechanisms of Vaginal Electrical Stimulation on Rectal Tone and Anal Sphincter Pressure

Abstract

Vaginal electrical stimulation with long pulses or trains of long pulses but not trains of short pulses reduces rectal tone and increases anal sphincter pressure. The inhibitory effect of vaginal electrical stimulation on rectal tone is mediated by the sympathetic pathway. These findings suggest that vaginal electrical stimulation may be a potential therapy for fecal incontinence.

Electrical Stimulation of Anal Sphincter or Pudendal Nerve Improves Anal Sphincter Pressure

“…Few other investigators have measured anal sphincter pressures in experimental animals, 35,36 and even fewer have investigated the effects of electrical stimulation on these pressures. 37 We used rats in our experiment because of their availability and the extensive information available regarding the innervation and physiology of the anal sphincter in rats. 12,17 However, rats are small, increasing the possibility of spread of the electrical stimulation to other tissues, particularly at higher currents.…”

Electrical Stimulation of Anal Sphincter or Pudendal Nerve Improves Anal Sphincter Pressure

“…Few other investigators have measured anal sphincter pressures in experimental animals, 35,36 and even fewer have investigated the effects of electrical stimulation on these pressures. 37 We used rats in our experiment because of their availability and the extensive information available regarding the innervation and physiology of the anal sphincter in rats. 12,17 However, rats are small, increasing the possibility of spread of the electrical stimulation to other tissues, particularly at higher currents.…”

Effects and mechanisms of vaginal electrical stimulation on gastric tone in dogs

“…Experiments were performed on separate days with an interval of at least 3 days. One of our previous studies showed that gastric tone performed on different days was reproducible 14 . Electrical stimulation has never been reported to have a long lasting effect and, therefore, multiple study sessions on separate days with an interval of a few days are believed to be reliable.…”

“…In experiment 2, VES with long pulses was performed using 500 ms, 6 mA and 20 ppm and VES with trains of pulses were using pulses of 4 ms, 6 mA and 40 Hz and train on-and offtime of 2 and 3 s. These parameters were shown effective in reducing rectal tone in a previous study with VES. 14…”

“…Recently, gastrointestinal electrical stimulation has received increasing attention. A number of studies have been performed to assess the effects of gut stimulation on gastrointestinal motility, transit and symptoms in both dogs and humans 3–14 . Electrical stimulation can be classified into three categories according to stimulation pulse width: long pulses (in the order of milliseconds), short pulses (in the order of microseconds) and pulse trains.…”

“…A number of studies have been performed to assess the effects of gut stimulation on gastrointestinal motility, transit and symptoms in both dogs and humans. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Electrical stimulation can be classified into three categories according to stimulation pulse width: long pulses (in the order of milliseconds), short pulses (in the order of microseconds) and pulse trains. While some of the results are still controversial, most of these studies indicate that gut stimulation with long pulses is able to change gut motility.…”

Electrical Stimulation of Anal Sphincter or Pudendal Nerve Improves Anal Sphincter Pressure

“…Few other investigators have measured anal sphincter pressures in experimental animals, 35,36 and even fewer have investigated the effects of electrical stimulation on these pressures. 37 We used rats in our experiment because of their availability and the extensive information available regarding the innervation and physiology of the anal sphincter in rats. 12,17 However, rats are small, increasing the possibility of spread of the electrical stimulation to other tissues, particularly at higher currents.…”

Effects and mechanisms of vaginal electrical stimulation on gastric tone in dogs

“…Experiments were performed on separate days with an interval of at least 3 days. One of our previous studies showed that gastric tone performed on different days was reproducible 14 . Electrical stimulation has never been reported to have a long lasting effect and, therefore, multiple study sessions on separate days with an interval of a few days are believed to be reliable.…”

“…In experiment 2, VES with long pulses was performed using 500 ms, 6 mA and 20 ppm and VES with trains of pulses were using pulses of 4 ms, 6 mA and 40 Hz and train on-and offtime of 2 and 3 s. These parameters were shown effective in reducing rectal tone in a previous study with VES. 14…”

“…Recently, gastrointestinal electrical stimulation has received increasing attention. A number of studies have been performed to assess the effects of gut stimulation on gastrointestinal motility, transit and symptoms in both dogs and humans 3–14 . Electrical stimulation can be classified into three categories according to stimulation pulse width: long pulses (in the order of milliseconds), short pulses (in the order of microseconds) and pulse trains.…”

“…A number of studies have been performed to assess the effects of gut stimulation on gastrointestinal motility, transit and symptoms in both dogs and humans. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Electrical stimulation can be classified into three categories according to stimulation pulse width: long pulses (in the order of milliseconds), short pulses (in the order of microseconds) and pulse trains. While some of the results are still controversial, most of these studies indicate that gut stimulation with long pulses is able to change gut motility.…”

Electrical Stimulation of Anal Sphincter or Pudendal Nerve Improves Anal Sphincter Pressure

“…Few other investigators have measured anal sphincter pressures in experimental animals, 35,36 and even fewer have investigated the effects of electrical stimulation on these pressures. 37 We used rats in our experiment because of their availability and the extensive information available regarding the innervation and physiology of the anal sphincter in rats. 12,17 However, rats are small, increasing the possibility of spread of the electrical stimulation to other tissues, particularly at higher currents.…”

Effects and mechanisms of vaginal electrical stimulation on gastric tone in dogs

“…Experiments were performed on separate days with an interval of at least 3 days. One of our previous studies showed that gastric tone performed on different days was reproducible 14 . Electrical stimulation has never been reported to have a long lasting effect and, therefore, multiple study sessions on separate days with an interval of a few days are believed to be reliable.…”

“…In experiment 2, VES with long pulses was performed using 500 ms, 6 mA and 20 ppm and VES with trains of pulses were using pulses of 4 ms, 6 mA and 40 Hz and train on-and offtime of 2 and 3 s. These parameters were shown effective in reducing rectal tone in a previous study with VES. 14…”

“…Recently, gastrointestinal electrical stimulation has received increasing attention. A number of studies have been performed to assess the effects of gut stimulation on gastrointestinal motility, transit and symptoms in both dogs and humans 3–14 . Electrical stimulation can be classified into three categories according to stimulation pulse width: long pulses (in the order of milliseconds), short pulses (in the order of microseconds) and pulse trains.…”

“…A number of studies have been performed to assess the effects of gut stimulation on gastrointestinal motility, transit and symptoms in both dogs and humans. [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Electrical stimulation can be classified into three categories according to stimulation pulse width: long pulses (in the order of milliseconds), short pulses (in the order of microseconds) and pulse trains. While some of the results are still controversial, most of these studies indicate that gut stimulation with long pulses is able to change gut motility.…”