Interstim® Advanced Testing

Although many patients are candidates to come into our office for Basic InterStim Testing, some patients are actually better off undergoing a longer form of testing called an advanced test. This test is done either at a Surgery Center or hospital and involves sliding a very tiny wire underneath the skin next to the tailbone and stimulating the nerves that control the pelvis. This procedure is done under a very brief anesthetic and we use x-rays to place the wire in an ideal position.

When you leave the surgical center or the hospital, there will be a wire that will attach to a small box that you will wear on your belt or clothing. We will have you keep a Voiding Diary measuring how often you have symptoms of urinary urgency, frequency or urge incontinence and we will make adjustments during an approximately 2 week period during the advanced test. If you have greater than a 50% improvement in your symptoms of urgency, frequency, or urge incontinence, then we will likely recommend that you go ahead to Interstim Placement or Implantation.