Short-term results of the efficacy of percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation on urinary symptoms and its financial cost

Zehra Kurdoğlu, Danielle Carr, Jihad Harmouche, Serdar Ünlü, Gökhan S. Kılıç

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Overactive bladder (OAB) affects 16.9% of women in the United States. Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is a third-line treatment for patients who are refractory to behavioral and pharmacologic therapies. We aimed to evaluate the effects of PTNS on urinary symptoms in patients diagnosed as having refractory OAB and investigate the cost of medications and clinical visits before and after PTNS treatment. Material and Methods: We reviewed 60 women with refractory OAB treated with PTNS. Episodes of urinary frequency, leakage, urgency, and nocturia; number of follow-up visits; and medications were recorded. The mean quarterly drug, physician, nurse, and provider costs were calculated. The episodes of urinary symptoms, numbers of follow-up visits, and costs of medications and visits before and after PTNS were compared. Results: Of the 60 patients with refractory OAB, 24 patients who completed 12 weekly sessions of initial PTNS were evaluated. The number of urinary symptoms and follow-up visits significantly decreased after PTNS (p<0.05). The average quarterly medication cost decreased from $656.36±292.45 to $375.51±331.79 after PTNS (p=0.001). After PTNS, quarterly physician and nurse visit costs decreased from $81.73±70.39 to $25.89±54.40 and from $55.23±38.32 to $15.53±19.58, respectively (p<0.05). The quarterly total provider cost was similar before and after PTNS. Conclusion: PTNS treatment significantly improved urinary symptoms of patients with refractory OAB and reduced the costs of medications and physician and nurse visits.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7-10
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of the Turkish German Gynecology Association
Volume19
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2018

Keywords

  • Costs and cost analysis
  • Lower urinary tract symptoms
  • Office visits
  • Overactive
  • Tibial nerve
  • Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation
  • Urinary bladder

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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