CaRi-heart technology
Revolutionary new technology to assess the risk of a serious heart condition or heart attack – many years before anything happens.
Sacral nerve stimulation
Sacral Neuromodulation.
A treatment that can improve your quality of life by helping to regulate your bladder and bowel movements
About
By stimulating the relevant nerves in your lower back with mild electrical impulses, a neurostimulator device can improve the co-ordination between your brain and your bladder, bowels, pelvic floor and sphincter muscles.
Your consultant may recommend this if other treatments haven't worked.
Need to know
This procedure is made up of two parts: evaluation and implant. For the evaluation phase, your consultant will place a thin wire into your lower back near your sacral nerve. You'll be given local anaesthetic to numb the area. They will attach the wire to a battery, which you'll wear on a belt for the next few days.
Your consultant will analyse the results to decide whether you should have a neurostimulator implant. If they think it could help you long term, they will replace the temporary wire with a permanent one and place a small battery into your lower back. Again, you'll be give local anaesthetic to numb the area. Both parts of the procedure take about an hour.
After both phases of the procedure, you should be able to to go home on the day. Your consultant will let you know how long they want your evaluation phase to last. When you see them at the end of your evaluation, they'll discuss your results with you and make their recommendations.
Before your evaluation, your consultant will ask you to keep a diary of your bladder and bowel movements. They'll also ask you to do this during the evaluation phase so they can compare the difference. This helps them to decide whether or not a permanent implant could be the right course of action. Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you and answer any questions you have. They'll also tell you how to prepare for your procedure.
Paying for medical treatment
You don't need medical insurance to have fast access to our top consultants, extensive range of treatments, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures at our world-class facilities.
Our Sacral nerve stimulation locations
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.