title: Randomized trial of long-term effects of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation on chronic pelvic pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term effects of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) on quality of life in women with chronic pelvic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three women with chronic pelvic pain were randomized into PTNS (n = 16) or control (n = 17) groups. In PTNS group, weekly PTNS in 30-min sessions for 12 weeks was performed whereas the control group received no stimulation. Present pain intensity-visual analog scale (PPI-VAS), short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and SF-36 were used at baseline, 12-week, and 6-month follow-up for the evaluation of pain intensity and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two women (12.5 %) were cured, 7 (43.8 %) were much improved, 6 (37.5 %) were the same and 1 (6.3 %) was worse after PTNS. Two women (11.8 %) were improved, 10 (58.8 %) were the same, and 5 (29.4 %) were worse in the control group. Mean PPI-VAS of PTNS group at baseline, 12 weeks, and 6 months was 8.4 ± 1.1, 3.8 ± 3.5 and 4.5 ± 3.7, respectively. There was a significant improvement in PPI-VAS scores of PTNS group whereas no change was observed in the control group. There was a slight increase in the PPI-VAS scores of the PTNS group at 6-month, but the difference was not statistically significant. There was significant improvement in all domains of SF-MPQ and SF-36 in PTNS group with continuing effects at 6 months whereas no significant change was observed in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTNS is a minimally invasive treatment method that leads to decrease in pain severity and improvement in quality of life in women with chronic pelvic pain with effects continuing at 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Sisli Etfal State Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Istek
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gungor Ugurlucan
authors.forename: Cenk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yasa
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gokyildiz
authors.forename: Onay
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yalcin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013979:Tibial Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D013995:Time; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey