Extracorporeal magnetic innervation therapy for stress urinary incontinence.

摘要

OBJECTIVES: To report the first data from a prospective clinical study to determine the feasibility of using extracorporeal magnetic innervation (ExMI) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. METHODS: We studied 83 women with demonstrable stress urinary incontinence. Treatments were for 20 minutes, twice a week for 6 weeks. For treatment, the patient sits fully clothed on a special chair; within the seat is a magnetic field generator that produces the rapidly changing magnetic field flux. Objective measures included bladder diaries, dynamic pad weight testing, urodynamic studies, and quality of life survey. RESULTS: Fifty patients have been followed up for longer than 3 months (33 patients for less than 3 months); 17 patients (34%) were dry, 16 (32%) were using not more than 1 pad per day, and 17 (34%) were using more than 1 pad per day. Pad use was reduced from 2.5 to 1.3 (P = 0.001) and leak episodes per day were reduced from 3.3 to 1.7 (P = 0.001). The pad weight was reduced from 20 to 15 g. Detrusor instability was found in 5 patients before but was demonstrated in only 1 patient after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: ExMI therapy offers a new effective modality for pelvic floor muscle stimulation. ExMI is painless, there is no need for a probe, and no need to undress for treatments. Longer follow-up is required to determine how long the benefits of treatment last and whether retreatment will be necessary.