Patent ID: 8214048

Claim:
A method of operating an implantable stimulator to treat a bowel dysfunction characterized by at least one of fecal urgency, fecal frequency, fecal retention and fecal incontinence, the method comprising: implanting, by injection via a needle or through an incision, at least one implantable stimulator with at least two electrodes adjacent to at least one target nerve comprising at least one of a rectal, inferior hypogastric, prostatic, vesical or uterovaginal nerve plexus; a thoracic root; a thoracic spinal nerve; a lumbar root; a lumbar spinal nerve; a hypogastric nerve; a superior hypogastric nerve plexus; an inferior hypogastric nerve plexus; a greater splanchnic nerve; a lesser splanchnic nerve; a least splanchnic nerve; a lumbar splanchnic nerve; or branches thereof; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one implantable stimulator; generating stimulation pulses in accordance with the stimulation parameters; and delivering the stimulation pulses to the at least one target nerve in order to treat at least one of fecal urgency, fecal frequency, fecal retention and fecal incontinence; wherein the implantable stimulator has a size and shape suitable for placement adjacent to the at least one target nerve via a needle or cannula.