EFFICACY OF SACRAL NERVE STIMULATION FOR URINARY RETENTION: RESULTS 18 MONTHS AFTER IMPLANTATION

Purpose: We investigate the efficacy of sacral neurostimulation in patients with idiopathic urinary retention in a prospective, randomized multicenter trial.Materials and Methods: A total of 177 patients with urinary retention refractory to standard therapy were enrolled in the study. Greater than 50% improvement in baseline voiding symptoms during a 3 to 7-day percutaneous test stimulation qualified a patient for surgical implantation of an InterStim∥ ∥Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota. system. Of the patients who qualified for implantation 37 were randomly assigned to a treatment and 31 to a control group. Patients in the treatment group underwent early surgical implantation of the sacral nerve stimulation system, while implantation was delayed in the control group for 6 months. Followup evaluations, including voiding diary analysis and temporary deactivation of the stimulator at 6 months, were conducted at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after implantation in the treatment group, and after 3 and 6 mont...