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Neuromuscular electrical stimulators used to facilitate emptying of the urinary bladder and/or the bowels, typically by applying stimuli to the cone-shaped end of the spinal cord (conus medullaris). Most of these stimulators consist of an implanted receiver with electrodes placed around the patient\'s sacral spinal nerve roots and an external transmitter for sending the stimulating pulses transcutaneously to the implanted receiver. Some of these devices can tune the controller to activate erection in men by stimulating a particular pair of nerve roots without bladder contraction. Bladder/bowel evacuation stimulators are used in paraplegic patients who have complete transection of the spinal cord and who are unable to empty their urinary bladder and/or bowels by reflex means or by the use of catheters.
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