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About InterStim® Therapy
If you’ve tried other treatments for your bladder or bowel problems without success, or you’ve experienced intolerable side effects from medications, sacral neuromodulation with InterStim Therapy may provide you relief from your difficulties with overactive bladder, urinary retention, fecal incontinence or constipation.
InterStim Therapy may offer several benefits. These include better control over bowel movements, and freedom from requiring manual help to defecate.
Sacral neuromodulation (also called sacral nerve stimulation) is reversible and can be discontinued at any time. People who have had InterStim Therapy for faecal incontinence have reported:
- Improved quality of life.
- Complete freedom from incontinence episodes or a dramatic reduction.
- Freedom to live without worry of leaks.
People who have had InterStim Therapy for constipation have reported:
- Major improvements in the number of bowel movements per week
- Freedom from abdominal pain
- Improved quality of life.
People who have had InterStim Therapy for overactive bladder have reported:
- Major improvements in the number of incontinence episodes each week, with a large number of people being completely free of incontinence.
- A major reduction in the number of times they have to visit the toilet each day.
- Improved quality of life.
People who have had InterStim Therapy for urinary retention have reported:
- An increase in the amount of urine produced on each visit to the toilet.
- Freedom from catheterization.
- Improved quality of life.
You and a doctor can test InterStim Therapy without making a big commitment.
The evaluation involves placing a thin wire under the skin in your lower back. The wire is connected to a small external neurostimulator (ENS, the so-called Verify Evaluation System), which you wear on a belt. The Verify™ ENS sends mild electrical pulses through the thin wire to your sacral nerves. Those pulses may get your bladder and/or your bowel working the way it’s supposed to. During the evaluation, which typically lasts several days, you can continue many of your daily activities, with caution.
However, some people have side effects such as pain, skin irritation, infection, device problems and movement of the electrodes. In most cases, these problems can be solved.
Remark:
- This information should not be used as a substitute to consultation from a physician. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.
- The service center is Bangkok-Phuket Colorectal Disease Institute of Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
- If you have any enquiry or want to make appointment, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]