Peripheral afferent nerve stimulation for treatment of lower urinary tract irritative symptoms

To assess the efficacy of posterior tibial nerve stimulation for treatment of lower urinary tract irritative symptoms (urgency, frequency, urge incontinence and pelvic pain).

51 female patients with a mean age of 55 years were enrolled in the study. The patients presented with the following symptoms: Frequency/urgency 26 patients (50.98%), urge incontinence 22 (43.13%) and interstitial cystitis 3 patients (5.88%). The technique consists in administering low voltage electric stimulation via a 3-5cm needle placed above the tibial malleolus. Patients received weekly stimulations of 30 minutes for a 10-week period. Quality of life questionnaires and voiding diaries before and after treatment were completed. Moreover, the results were evaluated by patients. The variables analysed include: daytime and nighttime voiding frequency, daytime and nighttime voiding volume, daytime and nighttime leakage episodes and hypogastric pain.

A statistically significant improvement was seen in all variables, especially remarkable in relation to frequency/urgency, impact on women quality of life and hypogastric pain, being less marked in relation to leakage episodes and voiding volume.

Afferent nerve stimulation offers an alternative treatment for managing lower urinary tract irritative symptoms. However, it would be advisable to confirm the results obtained by means of long-term randomized, follow-up studies.