title: Efficacy of FemiScan Pelvic Floor Therapy for the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence.
abstract: Pelvic floor muscle training can be effective in alleviating urinary incontinence; however, women need instruction, motivation, and feedback to gain optimal benefit from pelvic rehabilitation. The Food and Drug Administration-approved FemiScan Pelvic Floor Therapy System uses office electromyography and an in-home programmable device to provide training, motivation, and feedback between office visits. This study was undertaken to document the outcomes of women who completed an MD-supervised program using the FemiScan Pelvic Floor Therapy System.
  
  
  
  In this chart review, women with urinary incontinence, who completed the 8-visit protocol, were included in the analysis. We collected patient demographics, electromyographic measurements, and responses to subjective questions about the status of their urinary incontinence symptoms.
  
  
  
  Two hundred fifteen (60%) of 361 patients who started treatment with FemiScan completed the 8-visit protocol. No adverse events were reported. The mean age was 54.4 ± 12.7 years. There was a statistically significant increase in the mean maximal response comparing the first and final electromyographic measurements obtained during the first and last electromyography office visits. The left side (15.9 ± 10.2 μV vs 28.0± 15.2 μV, P < 001) and the right side (16.6 μV vs 28.2 μV, P < 0.001) were analyzed separately in peak electromyographic measurements between the first and final visits. Seventy-five percent considered their symptoms at least 80% improved with 45% reporting complete subjective cure. Urinary Distress Inventory 6 results confirmed the subjective report with a statistical significant improvement comparing the first and last visit (9.47 ± 3.66 vs 2.71 ± 3.58, P < 001).
  
  
  
  FemiScan appears to be a safe and effective treatment for urinary incontinence with concomitant increased pelvic floor electromyographic activity.
authors.affiliation: From the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston; Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Plymouth Campus, Plymouth; Harvard Medical School, Boston; Lowell General Hospital, Lowell, MA; and South Miami Hospital, Baptist Health System, South Miami, FL.
authors.forename: Shimon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morse
authors.forename: Purnima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sangal
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: Neeraj
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kohli
mesh_terms: D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004576:Electromyography; D004867:Equipment Design; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012984:Software; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000534:rehabilitation*