Intravesical electrical stimulation improves neurogenic bowel dysfunction in children with spina bifida.
OBJECTIVE
We observed concomitant improvement in fecal incontinence in children with myelomeningocele undergoing intravesical electrical stimulation (IVES) to decrease uninhibited bladder contractions and increase bladder capacity and/or bladder sensation. We retrospectively reviewed the effect of intravesical electrical stimulation on neurogenic bowel dysfunction in these children.


METHODS
A total of 9 boys and 15 girls 3.9 to 13.2 years old (mean age 8.1) completed a mean of 30.3 daily sessions (range 10 to 69) of IVES. Evaluation forms were used to record frequency of fecal incontinence, daily bowel movement and diaper use before and after IVES.


RESULTS
The mean number of overall fecal incontinence episodes decreased significantly from 7.36 to 4.8 a week after IVES (p <0.05). Greater than 50% decrease in the episodes of fecal incontinence was observed in 75% of the patients. However, there was no significant change in the number of daily bowel movements before (1.8 daily) and after (1.55 daily) IVES.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate the therapeutic effect of IVES in children with neurogenic bowel dysfunction and spina bifida. We believe that IVES is another viable option for controlling fecal incontinence in these children.
Han
Sang Won
SW
Yonsei University College of Medicine and Department of Urology, Brain Korea 21 for Medical Science, Seoul, Korea. swhan@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Kim
Myoung Jin
MJ
Kim
Jang Hwan
JH
Hong
Chang Hee
CH
Kim
Jae Wook
JW
Noh
Ji Yeun
JY
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000150:complications*; D001743:Urinary Bladder