Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), also referred to as posterior tibial nerve stimulation, is the least invasive form of neuromodulation used to treat overactive bladder (OAB) and the associated symptoms of urinary urgency, urinary frequency and urge incontinence. These urinary symptoms may also occur with interstitial cystitis and following a radical prostatectomy. Outside the United States, PTNS is also used to treat fecal incontinence.

Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation
SpecialtyUrology

PTNS can be used as a primary therapy. Treatment for overactive bladder and fecal incontinence may begin with pharmacological therapies before PTNS is administered. Unlike the variety of OAB drugs available PTNS is more effective and produces far fewer side-effects.[1] Nearly 80% of patients discontinue use (mean of 4.8 months) of drugs within the first year[2] with as high as 17% of discontinuation being due to adverse side-effects.[3] Neuromodulation is emerging as an effective modality to treat patients who are not successful with conservative methods and its demonstrated efficacy has been the topic of multiple publications.[4][5]

Medical uses

Urinary incontinence

PTNS appears to be effective at improving the number of times a person who has overactive bladder syndrome needs to urinate, although the mechanism for this is unclear.[6] It appears to work as well as medication, but with fewer side effects.[7][8]

Fecal incontinence

A meta-review that considered mostly low quality studies found tentative evidence of a benefit for PTNS in fecal incontinence.[9] However, a more recent high quality study however did not identify a benefit.[10]

Procedure

A patient sits comfortably with the treatment leg elevated. A fine needle electrode is inserted into the lower, inner aspect of the leg, slightly cephalad/rostral to the medial malleolus. As the goal is to send stimulation through the tibial nerve, it is important to have the needle electrode near (but not on) the tibial nerve. A surface electrode (grounding pad) is placed over the medial aspect of the calcaneus on the same leg. The needle electrode is then connected to an external pulse generator which delivers an adjustable electrical pulse that travels to the sacral plexus via the tibial nerve. Among other functions, the sacral nerve plexus regulates bladder and pelvic floor function.

With correct placement of the needle electrode and level of electrical impulse, there is often an involuntary toe flex or fan, or an extension of the entire foot. However, for some patients, the correct placement and stimulation may only result in a mild sensation in the ankle area or across the sole of the foot.

The treatment protocol requires once-a-week treatments for 12 weeks, 30 minutes per session. Many patients begin to see improvements by the 6th treatment. Patients who respond to treatment may require occasional treatments (about once every three weeks or as needed[11]) to sustain improvements.

PTNS is a low-risk procedure. The most common side-effects with PTNS treatment are temporary and minor, resulting from the placement of the needle electrode. They include minor bleeding, mild pain and skin inflammation.[12]

Research and market approval

The methodology was first invented by Marshall Stoller at UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, and was first known as the SANS (Stoller Afferent Nerve Stimulator) protocol.

In 2000, Stoller reported that 98 patients were treated with the SANS device with an approximate 80% success rate in treating urge incontinence syndrome, including urgency and frequency.[13] In a corroborative multi-center study by Govier, et al., 71% of patients achieved success.[12] Additionally, in a study by Shafik, et al., 78% of patients achieved a long-term improvement in faecal incontinence when treated with PTNS.[14]

Regulatory clearances were based on these data. A PTNS device received FDA-clearance for urinary urgency, urinary frequency and urge incontinence in 2000; in 2010, the clearance was updated to include overactive bladder (OAB). A PTNS device received the CE mark for urinary urgency, urinary frequency and urge incontinence and fecal incontinence in 2005.

Since 2005, Uroplasty has marketed the Urgent PC Neuromodulation System. In 2015, Medtronic acquired Advanced Uro-Solutions for its PTNS therapy, and began marketing the NURO PTNM System in 2016.[15]

U.S. reimbursement

Effective January 1, 2011, the PTNS procedure will be billed under the new CPT code 64566,[16] with the descriptor "Posterior tibial neurostimulation, percutaneous needle electrode, single treatment, includes programming."[17]

U.K. NICE guidance

In October 2010, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued NICE Interventional Procedure Guidance 362[18] supporting the use of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) as a routine treatment for overactive bladder syndrome. Highlights of the NICE guidance include: Evidence shows that PTNS is effective in reducing symptoms in the short and medium term.

There are no major safety concerns.

It can be offered routinely as a treatment option for people with overactive bladder provided that doctors are sure that the patients understand what is involved and agree to the treatment and that the results of the procedure are monitored.

A NICE guidance for fecal incontinence is currently under review.

Transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation
See also: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation

Recent studies have been carried out to demonstrate the efficacy of transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation with the use of external electrodes. Electrodes are applied near to the ankle where the tibial/sural nerve is located. It is believed that the electrical stimulation can penetrate the skin delivering tibial nerve stimulation in the same way, but without the need for a needle electrode.

It is thought that further studies on alternative possible treatments, such as home based transcutaneous stimulation, are needed.[19] However, it has proved a viable and successful treatment for many.

See also

References
  1. Andersson KE, Chapple CR, Cardozo L, Cruz F, Hashim H, Michel MC, Tannenbaum C, Wein AJ (July 2009). "Pharmacological treatment of overactive bladder: report from the International Consultation on Incontinence". review. Current Opinion in Urology. 19 (4): 380–94. doi:10.1097/mou.0b013e32832ce8a4. PMID 19448545. S2CID 21857035.
  2. Gopal M, Haynes K, Bellamy SL, Arya LA (December 2008). "Discontinuation rates of anticholinergic medications used for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms". primary. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 112 (6): 1311–8. doi:10.1097/aog.0b013e31818e8aa4. PMID 19037041. S2CID 22495238.
  3. Hartmann KE, McPheeters ML, Biller DH, Ward RM, McKoy JN, Jerome RN, Micucci SR, Meints L, Fisher JA, Scott TA, Slaughter JC, Blume JD (August 2009). "Treatment of overactive bladder in women". review. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment (187): 1–120, v. PMC 4781496. PMID 19947666.
  4. Mayer R (January 2010). "Neuromodulation--who, what, when, where and why?". editorial. The Journal of Urology. 183 (1): 17–8. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2009.10.053. PMID 19913830.
  5. Doggweiler R (November 2010). "Will posterior tibial nerve stimulation replace sacral nerve root stimulation as the salvage management of drug resistant urinary urge incontinence?". editorial. The Journal of Urology. 184 (5): 1835–6. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2010.07.012. PMID 20846687.
  6. Moossdorff-Steinhauser HF, Berghmans B (March 2013). "Effects of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation on adult patients with overactive bladder syndrome: a systematic review". Review. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 32 (3): 206–14. doi:10.1002/nau.22296. PMID 22907807. S2CID 9697853.
  7. Burton C, Sajja A, Latthe PM (November 2012). "Effectiveness of percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation for overactive bladder: a systematic review and meta-analysis". Review. Neurourology and Urodynamics. 31 (8): 1206–16. doi:10.1002/nau.22251. PMID 22581511. S2CID 35760955.
  8. Peters KM, MacDiarmid SA, Wooldridge LS, et al. (September 2009). "Randomized trial of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus extended-release tolterodine: results from the overactive bladder innovative therapy trial". Randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Urology. 182 (3): 1055–61. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2009.05.045. PMID 19616802.
  9. Thomas GP, Dudding TC, Rahbour G, Nicholls RJ, Vaizey CJ (May 2013). "A review of posterior tibial nerve stimulation for faecal incontinence". review. Colorectal Disease. 15 (5): 519–26. doi:10.1111/codi.12093. PMID 23216902. S2CID 29161476.
  10. Knowles CH, Horrocks EJ, Bremner SA, Stevens N, Norton C, O'Connell PR, Eldridge S, et al. (CONFIDeNT study group) (October 2015). "Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation versus sham electrical stimulation for the treatment of faecal incontinence in adults (CONFIDeNT): a double-blind, multicentre, pragmatic, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial". review. Lancet. 386 (10004): 1640–8. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60314-2. PMID 26293315. S2CID 29321045.
  11. "Stoller Afferent Nerve Stimulator" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2023.
  12. Govier FE, Litwiller S, Nitti V, Kreder KJ, Rosenblatt P (April 2001). "Percutaneous afferent neuromodulation for the refractory overactive bladder: results of a multicenter study". primary. The Journal of Urology. 165 (4): 1193–8. doi:10.1016/s0022-5347(05)66469-5. PMID 11257669.
  13. Dr. Marshall Stoller's Guest Lecture On IC Network
  14. Shafik A, Ahmed I, El-Sibai O, Mostafa RM (2003). "Percutaneous peripheral neuromodulation in the treatment of fecal incontinence". primary. European Surgical Research. 35 (2): 103–7. doi:10.1159/000069399. PMID 12679620. S2CID 21082372.
  15. "Medtronic Unveils NURO System in US for Overactive Bladder". Zacks Investment Research.
  16. CPT copyright 2009 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association.
  17. "Uroplasty, Inc. Announces CPT(R) Category I Code and Associated Reimbursement Value for Posterior Tibial Nerve Stimulation" (Press release). Uroplasty. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  18. "Percutaneous Posterior Tibial Nerve stimulation for overactive bladder symptoms". U.K. National Institute for Clinical Excellence. 27 October 2010.
  19. Gaziev G, Topazio L, Iacovelli V, Asimakopoulos A, Di Santo A, De Nunzio C, Finazzi-Agrò E (November 2013). "Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS) efficacy in the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunctions: a systematic review". review. BMC Urology. 13: 61. doi:10.1186/1471-2490-13-61. PMC 4222591. PMID 24274173.
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