Background: We evaluated the clinical effect of intermittent percutaneous posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) in patients with chronic pelvic pain (CPP). Methods: A total of 15 patients (10 women and 5 men, mean age 60.0 years, range 41–78) with CPP were enrolled in an open prospective clinical trial. The patients had 12 weekly outpatient treatment sessions, each lasting 30 min. All patients were evaluated by history, physical as well as urological examination, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain and urgency, the International Prostate Symptom Score, and a 3-day frequency-volume chart. Results: After 12 weeks of PTNS, 9 (60%) and 3 patients (30%) had an improvement of >50% and 25–50% in the VAS score for pain, respectively. Six patients (40%) ended up with a mean VAS <3. Mean VAS for pain changed from 8.1 ± 0.2 at baseline to 4.1 ± 0.6 after 12 weeks of treatment (p < 0.01). Mean VAS for urgency changed from 4.5 ± 1.0 at baseline to 2.7 ± 0.7 after 12 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant improvement in the International Prostate Symptom Score. There was no statistically significant difference in the number of voids and bladder volumes either. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that PTNS may improve pain symptoms for over half of the patients with CPP. Long-term follow-up studies are needed to verify these preliminary results.

Keywords:
Pelvic pain, Electric stimulation, Tibial nerve
This content is only available via PDF.
© 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel
2007
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
You do not currently have access to this content.