Sacral nerve stimulation for idiopathic chronic non-obstructive urinary retention

The procedure

Sacral nerve stimulation first involves an evaluation phase, to help the patient and the clinician decide if this therapy might be beneficial. There are 2 main techniques used for this evaluation, both of which involve implanting an electrode either on or near a sacral nerve, under either local or general anaesthetic. The leads are attached to a small device, which allows the level of stimulation to be adjusted.

When the evaluation phase is finished, the stimulator device is implanted into the upper buttock, with the patient under general anaesthetic. The patient can control the device with a hand‑held programmer. The aim is to restore the ability to empty the bladder voluntarily, and remove the need for a catheter to be used to empty the bladder.