Pelvic floor muscle training using an extracorporeal biofeedback device for female stress urinary incontinence.
OBJECTIVE
Extracorporeal biofeedback was developed to reduce patient discomfort when performing strengthening exercises. The efficacy and safety of extracorporeal biofeedback combined with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were evaluated.


METHODS
One hundred and six participants with SUI were enrolled in a 12-week PFMT program using extracorporeal biofeedback intervention. A standard pad test was performed, and pelvic floor muscle strength was assessed using the Oxford scale. Measurements were taken with a perineometer at baseline and at a 12-week follow-up visit. An objective cure was defined as less than 2 g of urine leakage by the standard pad test. The long-term effects of extracorporeal biofeedback and PFMT were investigated by interviewing the participants 12 months after treatment.


RESULTS
Seventy-one participants completed the 12-week extracorporeal biofeedback intervention. The objective cure rate was 52.1 %, and there was a significant reduction in pad weight over the time period. The incontinence visual analogue scale, the Sandvik severity index, and the incontinence quality-of-life questionnaire domains were significantly improved after treatment (p<0.001). The strength of the PFM was significantly increased after the 12-week treatment. After PFMT, 64.3 % of 56 participants reported good treatment compliance, and 24 participants (42.9 %) had continued PFMT at home 12 months after treatment. Age and baseline pad weight were negative predictive factors for an objective cure of SUI.


CONCLUSIONS
Pelvic floor muscle training using extracorporeal biofeedback can be an effective and safe conservative treatment option for female SUI without the discomfort caused by vaginal sensors.
Seonam Hospital, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.
Ha Na
HN
Lee
Seo Yeon
SY
Lee
Young-Suk
YS
Lee
Ji-Yeon
JY
Han
Myung-Soo
MS
Choo
Kyu-Sung
KS
Lee
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D055070:Resistance Training; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000628:therapy*