ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT percutaneous tibial neuromodulation
What results can I expect to see and when? How often should I receive maintenance therapy?
This therapy is proven to significantly reduce urgency-frequency and urge incontinence episodes per day.1,2 You may not see improvement in your symptoms right away and that’s normal. For some people, results aren’t obvious until the end of the 12 weekly sessions.
The most common side effects of percutaneous tibial neuromodulation (PTNM) are temporary and include mild pain and skin inflammation at or near the stimulation site.
What happens if I miss a week of therapy?
If you miss a week of therapy, it is OK. You will continue with treatment the following week and receive a make-up session to complete the 12 sessions.
Why should the symptom tracker be used?
This will help you track your progress. Over time, you may forget how you felt before the treatment started. Looking back at your tracker can help you better gauge the results of your treatment. Consider using the “notes” section to track your leaks, voids, and pads during the week.
Will the treatment hurt?
No, the sensation of the stimulation should not be painful. You may feel a slight tingling in your heel or the base of your foot during therapy, but it should not hurt.
How often should I receive maintenance therapy?
When you are on maintenance therapy, treatments are scheduled every three to four weeks, rather than every week.
Will my insurance cover the cost of the therapy?
Insurance coverages vary. Your clinician and the staff where you live can help to determine the coverage available for this therapy.
How long has this therapy been used?
Patients have been treated with PTNS (also known as PTNM) therapy since 2005. The Medtronic NURO device was launched in the US in 2016.
While the NURO™ device was not used in these studies, since it delivers equivalent stimulation therapy as the device used in the studies, a user can expect similar performance.
1
Peters KM, Macdiarmid SA, Woolridge LS, et al. Randomized trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus extended-release tolterodine: results from the overactive bladder innovative therapy trial. J Urol. 2009;182(3):1055-1061.
2
Peters KM, Carrico DJ, Perez-Marrero RA, et al. Randomized trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus sham efficacy in the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome: results from the SUmiT trial. J Urol. 2010;183(4):1438-1443.