Embodiments of the invention provide apparatus, systems and methods for stimulating tissue in the urinary tract to initiate or facilitate urination. One embodiment provides an external urinary sphincter stimulation (EUSS) catheter for stimulating the external urinary sphincter (EUS), where the EUSS catheter includes nerve stimulation electrodes (NSES) for delivering current to nerves within or around the EUS in order to relax the EUS prior to urination. Other embodiments provide a system for stimulating the EUS including the EUSS catheter and a controller operatively coupled to the EUSS catheter, where the controller includes a pulse generator for delivering current to the NSES. Other embodiments provide methods for positioning the EUSS catheter in the patient's body including in the EUS using a urethral approach. Embodiments of the invention are particularly useful for initiating and/or controlling urination for patients who have lost the ability to voluntarily urinate due to neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
