Botulinum toxin injections in the management of non-neurogenic overactive bladders in children

Non-neurogenic detrusor overactivity in children leads to varying degrees of functional impairments (urinary urgency, pollakiuria, urge incontinence, nocturia). Botulinum toxin has shown its effectiveness in the management of detrusor overactivity in neurological patients.

To evaluate the relevance of intravesical Botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of non-neurogenic overactive bladders in children. These pediatric patients were resistant to all the usual therapeutics (e.g. bladder/bowel rehabilitation, anticholinergic drugs, management of diet/hygiene habits and constipation, percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation).

8 children (mean age: 12.5years), 5 girls, 3 boys with daytime and/or nighttime incontinence and non-neurogenic detrusor overactivity validated by urodynamic testing. Urodynamic testing was conducted before the injections as well as 6weeks and 1year post injections. We used Dysport® 8 Speywood Units/kg injected via cystoscopy into 25 different sites.

We noted improvements without any complaints during bladder voiding for all patients, in 6 patients the overactivity disappeared after 1 injection. Compliance was improved early-on in half the cases and at 1year for all cases (from 12% to 61%, p=0.01). Noninhibited contractions decreased constantly in both frequency and intensity. Clinical symptoms improved: mean of 7.75 daytime urinary incontinence episodes (IE) per week before the injection vs. 3 after the procedure (p=0.04). For nighttime IE the improvement was even more noticeable with 7.38 nighttime IE episodes per week before the injection vs. 2.06 after the procedure (p=0,02).

Intradetrusor Botulinum toxin injections are a potential therapeutic option for the management of non-neurogenic detrusor overactivity in children resistant to the usual treatments.