Spinal cord
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Study design:Disturbance of gastrointestinal motility following acute spinal cord injury complicated with paraplegia can lead to bacterial overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract, and increase the incidence of bacterial translocation. Experiments in a New Zealand rabbit model of acute spinal cord injury were performed. Objective:This study was designed to determine if the electrical stimulation of the sacral nerve prevents gut-origin bacterial translocation and endotoxemia in an animal model of acute spinal cord injury. ⋯ Sacral nerve stimulation increased defecation, decreased endotoxin levels and bacterial translocation and improved the morphology of the organs. Conclusion:After acute spinal cord injury, stimulation of the sacral nerve reduced gut bacterial translocation and endotoxemia. Spinal Cord advance online publication, 6 April 2010; doi:10.1038/sc.2010.35.