Flat Magnetic Stimulation for Urge Urinary Incontinence.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Neuromodulation
• Pelvic Floor Therapy

Background:

• Overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome management often involves bladder outlet strengthening and sacral root neuromodulation.
• Magnetic stimulation (MS) uses electromagnetic fields to induce pelvic muscle contraction and neuromodulate sacral roots.
• Flat Magnetic Stimulation (FMS) offers homogeneous electromagnetic fields for optimized pelvic area effect, but its benefits for OAB are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the outcomes and quality of life (QoL) impact of FMS in women with OAB syndrome and urinary incontinence.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of FMS as a non-pharmacological treatment option.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study including 57 women with OAB and urge urinary incontinence, with no current OAB treatments.
• Baseline assessments included IIQ-7, FSFI-19, and ICIQ-UI SF questionnaires.
• Patients underwent 8 sessions of 25-minute FMS over one month, with post-treatment assessments and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) evaluation.

Main Results:

• A significant decrease in Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7) and ICIQ-UI SF scores was observed (p < 0.001).
• Significant improvement in sexual function, assessed by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI-19), was noted (p < 0.001).
• 73.7% of patients reported improvement, with 8.7% feeling 'very much improved' and 29.8% 'much improved', with no adverse effects.

Conclusions:

• FMS is an effective treatment for OAB symptoms, improving quality of life and sexual function.
• The mechanism may involve suppressing the initiation of micturition.
• FMS presents a promising non-pharmacological therapeutic option for both naive and refractory urge urinary incontinence.