What is Interstim Therapy

Interviewer: Sometimes, you have urgency incontinence and you tried everything, it does not work Doctor: Very interesting, there was a treatment which is called the interstim. Male1: Excuse me. Doctor: The interstim is the sacral nerve neuromodulator. Sorry to use this word, but this is what it is. It is a stimulation of a nerve, which is the third sacral nerve. It is not the spinal column. It is one of the nerves that come out with the spinal column, it is in the back. It is in the bottom of the spine, along side on one side either on the other. It is called the called sacral foramen that switches stimulant. And the treatment is instead of the medication. And what it does is this you would do it for people that have urgency, frequency, and urgent continence. Interviewer: It is a big thing or a little thing. Doctor: It is the stimulator is replacement. It is implanted in the body in the back. Interviewer: It was our computerize device. Doctor: It is a computerize device. Interviewer: And how long is this thing last. Doctor: It will last before you have to change the battery approximately about nine years. Interviewer: For nine years, it gets the control. Doctor: It gets the control. We have people that they have not been able to leave their house after we have done the implantation. They can go to the movies, leave the house, do shopping, go out. Interviewer: It is already problems with them. Doctor: Of course there are lots of problems. I mean, one of the thing you have to do is you have to do a testing. The testing is usually done in the office. These people to get a voiding diarrhea, a voiding diarrhea is a sheet hungering in which you would lie down the amount of fluid that you drink in ounces, the thigh that you drink, the amount of fluid that you urinate every time you urinate. And if you have a strong urge, or if you link, you lie down the time dusting up This you have to compare it after you do the stimulation in the office, and if you have grew 50% of these, you are candidate for an implantation. Interviewer: How many years that you transfer for? Doctor: Now all over about 50,000. Interviewer: And the success rates… Doctor: Its success rate is very good. Remember, if you improve all the 50%, you are a candidate for this thing. So you success rate is almost 50% for the symptoms of the patient. So if when you have the urgency or the frequency, you cut down in the urgency and the frequency. With urinary retention that you have no obstruction and I will make sure that you do not have any blockage in the outlet of the bladder, your homework first. It is not that somebody is going to walk in to the office and we are going to get an understanding implanting. Interviewer: Is it a very expensive thing? Male2: It is an expensive thing. It is usually cover by most of the insurances. It is the hospital issue to carry in and you can do it in the any of the hospital, most of the insurance companies. Interviewer: And you have seen a lot of people get this in a great change of a lifestyle? Doctor: It changes their lifestyle, all together. The quality of life gets improve, urgency and frequency and urgent continence that something is going to kill you. Interviewer: Is it have been in the market more than nine years? Doctor: It has been in the market since 1999. Interviewer: So, to replace the batteries are a big deal? Doctor: Replace of battery is simple. It is like a peacemaker on the heart. Interviewer: This is implanted inside the body? Doctor: Inside the body. Approximately about 1 cm underneath the skin. Interviewer: Like a little incision, change the battery and put a new battery. Doctor: And put on a new battery. Interviewer: It is unbelievable.