Urinary Symptoms After Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common syndrome affecting 7 million people in France, very often of idiopathic origin.

Current therapeutic management of OAB primarily involves hygiene and diet rules, patient education, behavioral measures with bladder reprogramming or even perineo-sphincter rehabilitation. However, the modalities of this conservative non-drug treatment are poorly defined and there is uncertainty as to their effectiveness.

In the event of persistent symptoms, the management of OAB is essentially based on the prescription of an anticholinergic medication. The effectiveness of anticholinergics has been established through numerous randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses. But the side effects of anticholinergics are known and some are very common (particularly dry mouth and constipation).

The principle of the posterior tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) by implanted (percutaneous) or adhesive (transcutaneous) electrode is to stimulate the sensory afferent pathways and to ensure negative feedback on the bladder. Posterior tibial nerve stimulation is a non-invasive therapeutic alternative that has demonstrated its effectiveness through numerous clinical studies mainly using a device for percutaneous use with a weekly stimulation session.

TNS is also possible transcutaneously (TENS) with daily 20-minute stimulation of the ankle, in the form of a self-administered treatment at home, over a period of 3 months. This treatment modality seems equivalent to the percutaneous approach.

Given its numerous advantages, the use of TENS is therefore expanding, and is currently recommended by many learned societies (SIFUD, AFU).

In this study, we wish to evaluate the TENSI+ medical device which uses transcutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation and which is offered in routine practice to patients with idiopathic or neurological overactive bladder.