Towards Objective Programming in SNM Therapy: Development and Validation of a Pelvic Floor Measurement System

Sacral nerve modulation (SNM) therapy is an established treatment for pelvic floor disorders, yet its programming relies heavily on subjective patient feedback during follow-up visits. This paper introduces a non-invasive system for quantifying pelvic floor contractions, addressing the need for objective, real-time measurements to enhance clinical decision-making. The system employs a pressure-based sensor array integrated into a user-friendly design that ensures patient comfort and usability while maintaining millisecond-level temporal resolution. Initial testing with healthy volunteers demonstrated the system's ability to detect and differentiate contractions, though limitations such as movement artifacts and positioning variability were identified. Subsequent optimization reduced these challenges by refining sensor placement and signal conditioning. Future work includes clinical validation in SNM patients and integration of stimulation artifact measurement to establish a causal link between stimulation parameters and observed contractions. This system has the potential to bridge the gap between intraoperative observations and outpatient therapy programming, offering a pathway to more precise, efficient, and patient-centered SNM therapy.Clinical Relevance- The proposed system for measuring pelvic floor contractions provides a quantitative, real-time measurement for pelvic floor muscle contractions, which could address a gap in current programming paradigms that rely predominantly on subjective patient feedback. The design prioritizes patient comfort and ease of use, making it well-suited for clinical visits. With future integration of stimulation artifact measurement and validation in SNM patients, the system has the potential to enhance the precision and efficacy of therapy programming.