Exploratory research on efficacy and safety of a fine-needle tibial nerve stimulator for treating overactive bladder...

To explore the efficacy and safety of a novel fine-needle percutaneous tibial nerve stimulator for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) in cats.

The stimulator was placed on the medial malleolus of cats (n = 8, three females and five males). Stimulation was controlled through a mobile application. Serial cystometrograms (CMGs) were conducted by infusing either 0.25% acetic acid (AA) or 0.9% normal saline (NS) to evaluate the effects of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) on the micturition reflex. Histologic analysis of the tibial nerve and surrounding muscle tissue was conducted to determine its safety.

During NS infusion, PTNS at 2 T significantly increased bladder capacity (BC) to 144.20 ± 5.85% compared with the NS control level (10.40 ± 3.19 ml) (P < 0.001). During AA infusion, AA-induced OAB significantly reduced BC to 56.64 ± 1.55% compared with the control level (P < 0.001). PTNS at 2 T significantly increased BC to 76.39 ± 5.47% compared with the AA level (P < 0.001). Furthermore, AA significantly reduced the contraction duration compared to the NS control level (4.39 ± 2.08 min) (P < 0.001). PTNS significantly increased the contraction duration compared to the AA group (P < 0.05). However, the contraction amplitude and area under the curve showed no significant differences among the NS control, AA, and PTNS groups (P > 0.05). Histologic analysis revealed no discernible abnormalities or structural damage to nerve fibers or adjacent musculature.

The novel PTNS device could inhibit OAB in cats and may offer a promising and minimally invasive treatment for OAB.