Sacral nerve stimulation for urge incontinence and urgency-frequency

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on sacral nerve stimulation for urge incontinence and urgency-frequency.

It replaces the previous guidance on sacral nerve stimulation for urge incontinence  (Interventional Procedures Guidance no. 4, August 2003) after the Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee reconsidered the procedure based on the results of a systematic review commissioned by NICE.

Sacral nerve stimulation is used in the management of severe urinary urge incontinence, a condition in which a strong urge to urinate is followed by an involuntary loss of urine.

Urge incontinence occurs more commonly in women and the elderly. The procedure involves placing electrodes and connecting them to an implantable pulse generator.

Other (see guidance)

Central nervous system
Surgical procedures
Urogenital

Urology

British Association of Urological Surgeons

Society of British Neurological Surgeons

Interventional Procedures Programme
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
MidCity Place
71 High Holborn
London
WC1V 6NA