Bladder pacemaker control

Have you any detailed information about a pacemaker recently being installed in the abdomen to control both retention and release of urine?. Being completely incontinent I can't help but seek any information I can get that might alleviate my condition.

[HFHS M.D.-BE]

Dear Nicholas,
This new technique is Interstim therapy.This a neuromodulator which is designed to treat urinary urge incontinence, urinary frequency and urinary retention. It is not designed to relieve total urinary incontinence, which I suspect is your condition as you have described.
This therapy works by sending electrical pulses via a small device which act as a signal to a nerve that is located above the tail bone(sacral nerve). This nerve is involved in contrlling the bladder and surrounding muscles.
The patients needs to be seen by a urologist before it is determined whether or not , he/she is a candidate for this treatment. The patient should have been treated with conservative measures (medications, intermittent catheterization, biofeedback, etc.) and failed  those measures, and the bladder must be otherwise normally functioning, before being qualified for Interstim therapy.
Once the patient is deemed appropriate for this treatment, he/she undergoes a temporary stimulation testing. This is done by placement of an electrical lead near the appropriate sacral nerve. An external device is used to send the signals. The patient then will keep a diary of the symptoms. If there is improvement over this test period, then the long term use of Interstim would be indicated.
Placement of the Interstim system requires an operation and general anesthesia. The device is small and the size of awatch. It is placed under the skin via surgery. The system has a battery which lasts 5 to 10 years. The replacement is simple and can be done on an outpatient basis.
At Henry Ford Hospital department of urology, we do offer patients this option, when indicated.

This information is provided for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician in the event of any questionable symptoms or problems, or any longstanding illnesses. You may see any one of our physicians at Henry Ford Health System for more in depth consultation or treatment. You may call 800-999-4340 in Michigan and 800-888-4340 outside Michigan for more information.

HFHS-M.D.-B.E.
*Keyword: urinary incontinence,interstim,