Comparison of home-based and outpatient clinic-based intravaginal electrical stimulation for the treatment of urinary incontinence.

AIM: Aim of the study was to compare the effects of outpatient clinic-based versus home-based intravaginal electrical stimulation (ES) for the treatment of urinary incontinence. METHODS: Women applying with the complaint of urinary incontinence and offered ES treatment were divided into outpatient clinic-based or home-based ES. Patients were instructed about home-based ES at the outpatient clinic by certified physiotherapy nurses. Bladder diary, 1-hour pad test, and King's-Health-Questionnaire (KHQ) were performed before and after treatment. ES was applied for 20 minutes, 6-8 weeks with pulses of 10-50 Hz square waves at a 300 μs or 1 ms pulse duration and a maximal output current of 24 to 60 mA with 5-10 Hz frequency, three times/week. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients received outpatient clinic-based, 22 patients received home-based ES. Pad test, bladder diary and pelvic floor muscle strength parameters in both groups improved significantly after treatment, with no significant difference between the two groups. Seven patients (31.8%) were cured, six patients (27.3%) were much improved, and seven patients (31.8%) were improved in the home-based ES group. Nine patients (37.5%) were cured, six patients (25%) were much improved, and six patients (25%) were improved and in the outpatient clinic-based ES group. There was an improvement in quality of life in all domains in both groups when the pretreatment and post-treatment KHQ results were compared, with no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Home-based ES is as effective in the treatment of urinary incontinence as outpatient clinic-based ES with significant improvement in objective and subjective parameters.