Neuromodulation reduces urinary frequency in rats with hydrochloric acid-induced cystitis

Objective To evaluate the effect of sacral neuromodulation on interstitial cystitis (IC) and determine the underlying mechanism of neuromodulation in the treatment of IC. Materials and methods Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats (body weight 220-250 g) were randomly divided into four equal groups; normal controls, a sham treatment (IC induced by 0.4 mol/L HCl, + saline), a second sham treatment (HCl-induced IC + acetic acid) and a stimulated group (HCl-induced IC + acetic acid, with electrical stimulation). In the last group bilateral electrodes were implanted into the S1 dorsal foramina and electrical stimulation applied for 8 h/day for 3 weeks. Acetic acid was instilled into the bladder to induce c-fos expression. After 3 weeks the rats were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde, spinal segments dissected out and an immunocytochemical method used to stain the segments for fos protein encoded byc-fos. Results The mean (sem) micturition frequency (voids/17 h) in the sham groups increased from 10.8 (2.7) to 23.4 (3.4) 3 weeks after the intravesical instillation of HCl. The micturition frequency in the stimulated group, at 16.2 (2.7), was significantly less than in the sham group (P = 0.04) after electrical stimulation for 3 weeks. There was no significant difference in the mean (SEM) number of fos-positive neurones in the L6 spinal cord segment between the stimulated and the sham + acetic acid group, at 43.6 (9.4) and 35.8 (7.8) cells/section, respectively (P = 0.32). Conclusions In rats with HCl-induced cystitis, electrical stimulation reduced the micturition frequency, but not by inhibiting afferent c-fibre activity.