Urinary incontinence is an awkward and frustrating condition that people of all age groups can suffer from. There are some therapies in existence that can help deal with the condition, but choosing which route to take can be hit or miss. A popular solution that recently came to market involves using a neurostimulator to target the sacral nerves, which in turn contracts muscles within the pelvic floor. The thing is that the procedure doesn’t work for everyone and finding out that you’re not eligible only after an implantation can be seriously disappointing. Medtronic, the maker of the InterStim sacral nerve stimulator for incontinence management, received FDA approval for its Verify Evaluation System for identifying whether a patient will benefit from sacral neurostimulation. The system has already been used in the U.S. in initial patients to help make a decision on whether to go with the InterStim system or pursue other options if neurostimulation is not appropriate.

The Verify System, like the InterStim device, electrically stimulates the sacral nerves but doesn’t require a full scale implantation. Instead, a minimally invasive procedure is used to place the lead which extends to an external neurostimulator that is worn discreetly under clothing near the hips. A device that looks like a smartphone is used to adjust the therapy and evaluate how much stimulation is appropriate for the patient. Medtronic did make an evaluation system available before, but it was less discrete and not as user friendly.

source:Medtronic