Electrical Colon Stimulation Reflexively Increases Colonic Activity

Objectives Most individuals with spinal cord injury have neurogenic bowel dysfunction, which includes slowed colonic motility and has a significant impact on their health and quality of life. Bowel management typically includes mechanical rectal distension to evoke a recto-colic reflex and promote bowel emptying. Electrical stimulation could replace this mechanical distension. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of evoking colonic activity using electrical stimulation. Materials and methods Acute experiments were conducted in eight neural-intact cats under chloralose anesthesia. Patterned electrical stimulation was administered via electrodes placed on the surface of the distal colon or proximal colon. Distal and proximal colon pressures were measured using saline-filled balloon catheters. Outcome measures included peak colonic pressure; time to onset of response; and time to peak pressure compared to baseline without stimulation. Results Stimulation elicited colonic activity in all animals. Peak colon pressures were 15 ± 28 cmH2 O and were proportional to stimulation amplitudes. Time to onset and time to peak pressure were 13 ± 19 s and 37 ± 49 s, respectively, and were not significantly affected by stimulus parameters. Proximal colon stimulation only resulted in pressure responses from the proximal colon, but distal colon stimulation resulted in both proximal and distal responses in 40% of trials. Adding isoflurane anesthesia removed this proximal response to distal stimulation. Conclusions Distal colon stimulation evoked colonic activity. The dependence of this response on stimulation location and anesthesia suggests that responses were reflex mediated. Colonic stimulation may have the potential to improve colonic motility for individuals with neurogenic bowel dysfunction.