Gentle electrical rectal stimulation to help bowel emptying after spinal cord injury
Official title: Electrical rectal stimulation to promote bowel emptying after spinal cord injury
Funded at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center · NIH-11310842 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses gentle electrical stimulation of the rectum to help people with spinal cord injury empty their bowels more easily.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004529-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11310842 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with spinal cord injury and neurogenic bowel who currently require assistance or digital rectal stimulation for bowel care, particularly Veterans able to attend the Cleveland VA, are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without neurogenic bowel (for example those without spinal cord injury) or those who cannot tolerate rectal procedures are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
I have a spinal cord injury and trouble emptying my bowels, and this project tests a minimally invasive patterned electrical stimulation delivered to the rectum to trigger bowel movements. Researchers will enroll Veterans with neurogenic bowel and compare the electrical approach with the usual digital rectal stimulation while measuring how quickly and completely the bowels empty and any side effects. The device aims to shorten bowel care time and reduce the need for caregiver assistance. Study visits and safety monitoring will take place at the Cleveland VA medical center.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could shorten bowel care time, increase independence, and reduce constipation, incontinence, and caregiver burden.
How similar studies have gone: Digital rectal stimulation is standard care and small prior studies of electrical stimulation show promise, but this patterned rectal electrical approach is relatively new and not yet widely proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bourbeau, Dennis — Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bourbeau, Dennis
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.