[Dimethyl sulfoxide in the treatment of interstitial cystitis]

The paper presents the results obtained with endovesical dimethylsulphoxide in the treatment of interstitial cystitis in 30 women. Up to 80% patients showed clinical improvement with an average of 10 installations. Volume of maximal vesical capacity was increased in 24 patients (80%), the increase being greater than 100 cc in 10 cases. Presently, 24 (80%) patients remain under treatment, 14 with one instillation monthly and 10 once every six months. Six patients are fully asymptomatic without treatment after an average symptoms-free interval of 32 months. Since this is directly related to a decrease both in pain and miction frequency, the increase in vesical capacity appears to be a good improvement index. Dimethylsulphoxide in neither a healing nor a definite therapy but it seems to be effective in the management of this unknown disease.