Somato-sensory Reflex Arch in Spinal Cord Injury - Effect on Clinical Outcome

Spinal cord injury (SCI) usually affects young people and causes severe bowel and bladder dysfunction. Recently, the concept of a surgically created somat-sensory reflex arch for bladder dysfunction in SCI has been introduced. The concept is promising, not just for bladder but also for bowel dysfunction. However, well designed studies need to be performed before recommending the procedure to a large number of patients worldwide. In this study we perform multidisciplinary studies providing necessary information about the clinical outcome of the somato-sensory reflex arch in adult SCI patients. The hypothesis is as follows: 1. In a "western setting" the somato-sensory reflex arch can be created in adult SCI patients with only minor morbidity and complications. 2. Somato-sensory reflex arch reduces bladder and bowel symptoms in SCI patients.