Sacral Nerve Stimulator May Be Cure to Incontinence – Originally posted by Maureen McFadden for WNDU.com
Incontinence is an uncomfortable and embarrassing problem for many people, especially as they age. It used to be treated with surgery, but wasn’t always successful.
Now, a new outpatient procedure has changed that and also, changed lives.
Leaving the house used to be a problem for Oralia Cosme. She suffered from incontinence of the bowel.
“It makes you cry when you have accidents,” Cosme said. “I’d go to a department store and I’d be shopping around and then all of a sudden, I make a certain type of move, and I feel something that’s not right.”
But that’s all changed, thanks to a sacral nerve stimulator.
Mario Alcantara, M.D., Colorectal Surgeon at the South Texas Colorectal Center said, “It’s a very simple device, in fact, it’s basically a pacemaker.”
Dr. Alcantara explained how incontinence used to be treated by tightening sphincter muscles that affect the bowel and the bladder.
“We’ve learned over time that it’s not necessarily just the muscle, it’s more of a nerve related issue,” he stated.
The sacral nerve stimulator enhances the nerve action of the sphincter muscles and a tiny wire is inserted in the back through the tailbone.
The computerized device is implanted in the buttocks. It’s programmable by remote, and runs on a battery that lasts up to 10 years before it needs replacing.
“It’s been phenomenal. It’s changed what we do for surgery,” Dr. Alcantara said.
The procedure has changed Oralia’s life. Surgery for the sacral nerve stimulator is done on an outpatient basis, and the cost is around $1,000. But there’s good news, many insurance companies will cover most of the cost.
