Effect of anal electrostimulation with the 'Incontan' device in women with urinary incontinence

An integrated, automatic electrical stimulator has been developed to treat urinary incontinence. A group of 121 women with either stress-, motor urge- or mixed incontinence was selected for treatment, but 23 discontinued the treatment within 3 months and were excluded from the study. In the study group of 98 women, anal stimulation was applied for an average of 9 months (range 3-36 months). Between 9 and 36 months after the treatment was completed, 91% were either continent or had improved significantly, but in 9% the stimulation had no effect. Significant improvement occurred on clinical and urodynamic testing. There were no serious side-effects. Intra-anal electrostimulation therapy provides an alternative to surgery in patients with stress incontinence, and could be the first choice of treatment in women with combined stress and motor urge incontinence.