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Tibial Nerve Stimulation

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Electrical Stimulation for Pelvic Floor Disorders

Abstract

Tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) is a minimally invasive neuromodulation procedure. Mild impulses from the stimulator travel percutaneously through a needle (PTNS) or transcutaneously surface (TTNS) electrode, along the leg and to the sacral nerves that control bladder and bowel function. The evidence shows that this procedure is effective in reducing urinary and bowel symptoms, and there are no major safety concerns, so it can be offered routinely as a treatment option for people with an overactive bladder and/or urge fecal incontinence. Equally to sacral nerve stimulation (SNS), PTNS can also be indicated in other urinary and bowel dysfunctions such as non-obstructive urinary retention, constipation, chronic pelvic pain, and neurogenic bladder and/or bowel. Further studies are needed to better understand its mechanisms of action and to identify predictive parameters of success. Long-term studies and cost-effectiveness analysis are necessary to compare TNS vs other conservative management (drugs and nondrug therapies) or neuromodulation techniques such as SNS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. General Surgery, Valdichiana Hospital USL 8, N.A. Fratta 145, Cortona, AR, 52040, Italy

    Iacopo Giani

  2. Neuro-Urology Department, AOU Careggi University Hospital, Largo Palagi 1, Florence, 50139, Italy

    Stefania Musco

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  1. Iacopo Giani
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  2. Stefania Musco
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Correspondence to Iacopo Giani .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. General, Emergency and Minimally Invasive Surgery, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy

    Jacopo Martellucci

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Giani, I., Musco, S. (2015). Tibial Nerve Stimulation. In: Martellucci, J. (eds) Electrical Stimulation for Pelvic Floor Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06947-0_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06947-0_9

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