Intravesical transurethral bladder stimulation.

Abstract

Intravesical transurethral bladder stimulation is a rehabilitative and diagnostic technique for the neurogenic bladder. The goal of therapy is threefold: to achieve the sensation of bladder filling or the urge to void, to initiate a detrusor contraction and to achieve conscious urinary control. The procedure combines the direct electrical stimulatory effect to bladder receptors, with the significant use of visual biofeedback by the patient's observation of a water manometric representation of their detrusor response. It appears that intravesical transurethral bladder stimulation may be helpful to determine diagnostically, the stimulus response of bladder function, and therapeutically, to rehabilitate the neurogenic bladder toward full control. It is not intended to replace clean intermittent catheterisation in all patients. However, it may allow selected children to void rather than be catheterised and may be used in conjunction with intermittent catheterisation to improve a child's level of continence.