Neuromodulation Treats Overactive Bladder

A new device uses neuromodulation for the treatment of overactive bladders.

A new office-based method treats overactive bladder symptoms such as urinary urgency, urinary frequency, and urge incontinence. The simple, non-surgical treatment is low-risk and associated with minimal side effects. The system employed is a combination of a stimulator and a lead set, and works through sacral neuromodulation via the tibial nerve, delivered in simple, 30-minute outpatient sessions. The system has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The system has a documented success rate of 60-80% in the treatment of an overactive bladder, with statistically significant reductions in daytime voiding frequency, nighttime voiding frequency, and leakage episodes, according to the manufacturer of the neuromodulation system, Uroplasty (Minneapolis, MN, USA). In the treatment of fecal incontinence, 78% of the patients achieved long-term improvement with the system, called Urgent PC.

Neuromodulation is defined as the therapeutic alteration of activity in the central, peripheral or autonomic nervous systems, electrically or pharmacologically, by means of implanted devices. At the present time the devices used are mainly stimulators and pumps and the major applications are in managing chronic pain, movement disorders, spasticity, and epilepsy. Neuroprosthetics such as cochlear implants and sacral root stimulators are commonly included.



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