Efficacy of transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation in women with an idiopathic overactive bladder

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) in women with urge incontinence. Material and Methods: The study included twenty patients with an idiopathic overactive bladder (OAB) refractory to anticholinergic treatment. TTNS was applied to all patients on 3 days/week for 8 weeks; each session lasted 30 min. Pelvic floor muscle strength, urinary frequency, and the number of episodes of urge urinary incontinence were recorded before and after the treatment. Results: After 8 weeks of TTNS treatment, a statistically significant increase was found in pelvic floor muscle strength, assessed by digital palpation (p=0.008), whereas there was no significant improvement in perineometry values (p=0.118). Bladder diary assessment revealed that patients experienced a significant reduction in the average number of incontinence episodes and voiding frequency (p=0.003 and p=0.001, respectively). There were no adverse effects during the treatment. Conclusion: This study results showed that TTNS is an effective and well-tolerated treatment in women with an idiopathic OAB who have not benefited from anticholinergic medications. Further studies need to be performed to determine a standardized treatment protocol and long-term efficacy.