BACKGROUND:Spinal cord injuries induced by sacral segment and lumbar lesions can damage the primary sacral micturition center or its surrounding nerves (parasympathetic and somatic nerve) to cause detrusor areflexia, thereby leading to urinary retention and further pathological changes in bladder tissue morphology.
OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of electroacupuncture at the Ciliao (BL32), Zhongji (RN3), Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoints on bladder capacity and bladder tissue morphology of rats with urinary retention after sacral spinal cord injury.
METHODS:Ten of 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected as blank group, and other 30 rats were randomly divided into model group, acupoint group and non-acupoint group. In the model group, the rats received no electroacupuncture. In the non-acupoint group, acupuncture and electroacupuncture at non-acupoint points were performed, respectively, for 20 minutes. In the acupoint group, acupuncture and electroacupuncture were performed at the Ciliao, Zhongji, and Sanyinjiao acupoints. Bladder capacity was measured at days 14 and 22 after treatment. After treatment, bladder tissues were extracted for morphological observation with hematoxylin-eosin staining.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The maximum bladder capacity in the acupoint group was obviously reduced after treatment (P<0.01);the curative effect in the acupoint group was more obvious than the non-acupoint group (P<0.05);the difference between preoperative and postoperative bladder capacity (d value) was more significant in the acupoint group than the non-acupoint group (P<0.05). (2) Compared with the model and non-acupoint groups, morphological changes in the bladder tissue were improved more significantly in the acupoint group. These findings indicate that electroacupuncture at the Ciliao, Zhongji, and Sanyinjiao acupoints can effectively reduce the maximum bladder capacity and repair the damaged bladder tissue after sacral spinal cord injury.

Objective To explore the effects of electrical acupuncture at Ciliao (BL32), Zhongji (RN03), Sanyinjiao (SP06) acupoints on the expression of caspase-3 in bladder tissue and the urodynamics of rats with neurogenic bladder (detrusor areflexia type) after sacral spinal cord injury. Methods 10 rats were randomly selected as blank control group from 40 female Sprague-Dawley rats. The other 30 rats were randomly divided into model group, acupoint group and control group after modeling, with 10 rats in each group. The urodynamics was measured on the 14th and 22nd day after modeling. The control group and acupoint group received electrical acupuncture 7 times at the acupoints and other points nearby, respectively, from the 15th day. The expression of caspase- 3 in bladder tissue was detected with enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results Compared with the model group, the maximum bladder capacity, bladder compliance and expression of caspase-3 in bladder tissue significantly decreased after treatment (P<0.01), the filling bladder pressure significantly increased (P<0.05) in the acupoint group. And the acupuncture group was better than the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Electrical acupuncture at Ciliao, Zhongji and Sanyinjiao can reduce the maximum bladder capacity in neurogenic bladder rats and inhabit the expression of caspase-3 in bladder tissue.