There’s another treatment option for patients with an overactive bladder in St. Louis, and it’s available now at South County Urological.
Called InterStim™, it’s a small device implanted under the skin on the patient’s lower back that targets the sacral nerves. They control the bladder. Doctors believe that miscommunication between the brain and the sacral nerves cause bladder control problems.
InterStim stimulates the sacral nerves with mild electrical pulses to modulate or normalize this communication, and restore bladder function. Technically the device is known as a sacral neuromodulator. But for select patients, it means relief.
Patients may experience fewer trips to the bathroom, fewer accidents and greater confidence when venturing outside their homes. They can even try out the device — before surgical implantation — to see if it will reduce their symptoms, or turn if off after implantation.
Sacral neuromodulation with InterStim is meant for select patients who take, or no longer benefit from medication to control urgent and/or frequent urination associated with an overactive bladder.
The procedure is covered by Medicare and by many major private insurance companies.
