For patients with overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, and interstitial cystitis who do not respond to drug treatments and lifestyle changes, Bladder Pacemaker (Sacral Neuromodulation) technology offers a ray of hope. This method is a surgical neuromodulation treatment that reorganizes the neural stimulation mechanism of the bladder.
What is a Bladder Pacemaker?
A bladder pacemaker consists of a small generator (battery) placed under the skin in the hip area and a thin wire (electrode) placed in the nerve roots of the tailbone (sacral). It works on a similar logic to a cardiac pacemaker, but instead of the heart, it stimulates the sacral nerves that control the bladder muscles and sensory nerves.
How Does It Work?
Signals indicating that the bladder is full and needs to be emptied flow through the sacral nerves. In bladder diseases, this signal flow is disrupted, sending continuous "urinate" or "pain" signals to the brain. The bladder pacemaker:
- Delivers very low-dose, imperceptible electrical currents to the S3 nerve root in the tailbone.
- Filters and regulates the faulty nerve communication between the brain and the bladder.
- Thus, uncontrolled contraction of the bladder muscles is prevented and chronic pain signals are blocked.