Objectives

To assess the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for neurogenic bladder dysfunction secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI).

Materials and Methods

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane libraries up to February 2021 was performed using PRISMA methodology. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that studied TENS for neurogenic bladder in a SCI population were included. The primary outcomes of interest were maximum cystometric capacity (MCC) and maximum detrusor pressure (Pdet). Meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan v5.3.

Results

Six RCTs involving 353 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that TENS significantly increased MCC (standardized mean difference 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08–2.14, p = 0.03, I2 = 54%) in acute SCI. No benefits were seen for maximum Pdet. TENS was associated with no major adverse events.

Conclusions

TENS may be an effective, safe intervention for neurogenic bladder dysfunction following SCI. Further studies are essential to confirm these results and more work is required to determine optimal stimulation parameters and duration of the treatment.