Questions and Answers – Evaluation
Urinary Retention
- Will my everyday activities be affected during the evaluation for Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy?
- Will the evaluation cure my condition?
- What does the stimulation feel like?
- If my evaluation is successful, what is long-term Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy?
- Will insurance cover the costs?
- What kind of support is available to me during the evaluation?
- Where can I find more information about Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy?
Will my everyday activities be affected during the evaluation for Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy?
You should take it easy during the evaluation. Avoid bending, stretching, or lifting heavy objects. You can usually continue to work throughout your evaluation if your job doesn’t require strenuous movement. Be aware that the evaluation wire can move. Keep your activity level low to moderate.
During the evaluation, avoid baths and showers. Take sponge baths, but be careful to keep the area around the evaluation wire dry and undisturbed.
Will the evaluation cure my condition?
No. The evaluation is temporary. It is a tool that helps determine whether Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy (Sacral Neuromodulation), delivered by the InterStim™ System, is appropriate for you. When the evaluation ends, your original symptoms will return. If you have had positive results with the evaluation, then you and your doctor may decide to use long-term Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy to treat your symptoms.
If my evaluation is successful, what is long-term Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy?
For long-term therapy, a neurostimulator and a lead are implanted during a minimally invasive outpatient procedure; if you tested the therapy using the advanced evaluation, the long-term lead will already be in place. The neurostimulator is surgically placed under the skin of your upper buttock. One end of the lead is placed near your sacral nerves, and the other is connected to the neurostimulator. With long-term Medtronic Bladder Control Therapy, you control the neurostimulator with a hand-held programmer that works like a remote control to adjust the stimulation up and down or on and off.
What kind of support is available to me during the evaluation?
Your doctor and his or her staff are available to support you on every step of your InterStim™ Therapy journey.
In addition, as a medical device manufacturer, Medtronic can offer technical assistance when you have questions about or problems with your InterStim system; however, Medtronic is not able to comment on your medical condition. For assistance with the use of your device, please contact the Medtronic Technical Support Helpline on 01923 205101. Their hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Information on this site should not be used as a substitute for talking with your doctor. Always talk with your doctor about diagnosis and treatment information.