Minimally Invasive Surgery (Urology)

InterStim Therapy … a treatment option for overactive bladder

Saint Louise Regional Hospital physicians are committed to providing advanced, high quality, personalized care. Our commitment to offering minimally invasive techniques, when possible, allows patients to recover more quickly and return to normal activity. While general surgery can be performed at many places, minimally invasive surgery at Saint Louise Regional Hospital offers the advantage of an experienced team, state of the art technology and a hospital-wide support structure designed to maximize patient safety.

Finding relief from the symptoms of overactive bladder can be a long journey. Interstim Therapy is appropriate for patients with urinary urgency and frequency who qualify for the minimally invasive procedure. InterStim Therapy is an option for patients who have not had success with, or could not tolerate, more conservative treatments. An overview of choices includes: Pads, Kegel Exercises, medications, physical therapy, fluid and diet changes.

“InterStim Therapy works with the sacral nerves, located near the tailbone. The sacral nerves control the bladder and muscles related to urinary function,” says Dr. Amir Saffarian, Saint Louise Regional Hospital urologist. “If the brain and sacral nerves don’t communicate correctly, the nerves will not tell the bladder to function properly, which can cause bladder control problems. InterStim Therapy targets this communication problem by stimulating the nerves with mild electrical pulses.”

InterStim Therapy was created by Medtronic, developer of the pacemaker. InterStim Therapy was FDA-approved in 1997 for urge incontinence, and in 1999 for urinary retention and significant symptoms of urgency-frequency.

For more information about InterStim Therapy and other Saint Louise Regional Hospital surgical services, please call (408) 848-4940.

For a physician referral, please call (408) 782-1501 or click here.