PAINESVILLE, Ohio, January 29, 2009 - Lake Health is offering a revolutionary medical implant for women with serious bladder control problems, liberating them from the debilitating condition that causes discomfort, frustration and embarrassment.

The InterStim® neurostimulator, which is about the size of a stopwatch, is inserted through a tiny incision near the tailbone and sends mild electrical pulses to control the bladder, sphincter and pelvic muscles. Stimulation levels can be adjusted non-invasively according to the patient's specific needs.

“It’s like a pacemaker for the bladder,” explained Paul Jones, MD, a Lake Health obstetrician/gynecologist. “And it can work for even the worst cases.”

An estimated 13 million American men and women suffer from urinary control problems. Approximately 85 percent are women between the ages of 30 and 59—women who otherwise would be enjoying their most active, productive years. Yet, because conventional medical therapies have been ineffective for these patients, many must depend on pads, self-catheterization or other awkward measures.

Usually these individuals suffer from overactive bladder symptoms, which include urge incontinence, urgency, frequency or urinary retention. According to Dr. Jones, such problems are not a typical part of aging. Instead, the problems often are caused by injury, side effects of drugs, disease or infection.

“Many people have chronic, debilitating symptoms of voiding dysfunction that do not respond to standard treatments, such as medication. This type of bladder dysfunction can have a debilitating impact on a person’s social and personal life, so effective therapy, like the InterStim implant, carries great potential for life-changing benefits,” Dr. Jones said.

Lake Health Offers InterStim Implant/ADD ONE

December XX, 2008

InterStim was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997, and has been used successfully to treat tens of thousands of patients worldwide. Before implantation, the device is tested on patients to ensure effectiveness. An electrode is inserted, floating close to the sacral nerves and connected to an external device. Over the course of 3-7 days, the patient records changes in voiding patterns that occur with the stimulation in place. This record is then compared to pre-stimulation voiding patterns.

Surgical implantation of the device is offered to patients who experience a significant improvement. The procedure takes about one hour and is performed on an outpatient basis under slight sedation (twilight). Typically, patients can return to their normal activities within one to two days, Dr. Jones said. So far, Dr. Jones has performed the procedure on four patients, with great success.

Forty-five-year-old Shane Griffin had the device implanted in March 2008 and is thrilled with her results.

“The implant has changed my life,” explained Griffin, a registered nurse who suffered for years with urinary urge incontinence. “I no longer have to constantly search for bathrooms whenever I’m out in public. I’m so thankful to Dr. Jones for recommending InterStim. I absolutely love it.”