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UA Clinical Study Shows 'Bladder Pacemaker' Safe and Effective for Debilitating Disease
June 16, 2003Contact: Jo Marie Gellerman, 626-7219
For an estimated 1 million Americans, every time they leave their house, they have to think about the nearest restroom. Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder that causes frequent, urgent and painful urination. Although IC primarily affects women around the age of 40, 25 percent of women with IC are under 30. The condition affects children and men as well. There is no known cause and at present there is no cure. Symptoms of IC include day and night urinary frequency of up to 60 times per 24-hour period.
"People with this condition can be virtually incapacitated," says Craig Comiter, MD, associate professor and chief, Section of Urology at the University of Arizona Department of Surgery. "People can't go to movies or restaurants. They often are afraid to leave the house. Many sufferers become so anxious that they become isolated and depressed." Dr. Comiter recently completed a clinical study, the largest to date, on a relatively new procedure called sacral neuromodulation for patients suffering from interstitial cystitis (IC). The study, published in the April 2003 issue of the Journal of Urology, showed that sacral neuromodulation is a safe and effective treatment for patients with severe IC who are not responding to other standard forms of therapy. Although the device was FDA approved five years ago, many urologists do not offer the procedure.
"We have proven, in a scientific manner, that sacral neuromodulation is a safe and effective treatment for patients with severe IC who are not responding to other standard forms of therapy," says Dr. Comiter. "The publication of our findings in a peer-reviewed journal should help to change the standard of care for this disease."
Just as the cardiac pacemaker helps maintain a steady heartbeat, the device works like a "bladder pacemaker," helping men and women with debilitating bladder problems regain control of this vital function. The device is surgically implanted under the skin in the lower abdomen near the sacral nerves at the base of the spine. These are the nerves that control the bladder, bowel and pelvic organs. The device sends tiny electrical impulses to the nerves, signaling the bladder and pelvic muscles to contract or relax as urine is stored or eliminated.
"For these patients, it's a major improvement in quality of life. It restores their freedom and gives them back normal function," says Dr. Comiter.
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: Patients who have undergone sacral neuromodulation are available for interviews. Interviews can be arranged by calling Jo Marie Gellerman, 626-7219.
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