Step 1: Medtronic InterStim Therapy Trial Assessment

How Will I Know If InterStim Therapy Works for Me?

You and your doctor will decide together whether your trial assessment was successful. The trial assessment is considered a success if you experience a 50% or greater reduction in your symptoms.

For example, your trial would be considered a success if you went to the bathroom 20 times per day before the trial and went 10 or fewer times per day during the trial.

What Happens During the Trial Assessment?

The trial assessment starts with a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure usually done in your doctor’s office or in an ambulatory surgery center.

Your doctor will numb a small area of your upper buttock and insert a thin wire near your sacral nerves, located near the tailbone. The wire is connected to a small, external neurostimulator that you’ll wear on your waistband like a pager.

During the trial assessment period, you will need to use a symptom tracker to write down your urinary symptoms, such as how many times you go to the bathroom and whether you have leaks. You should be able to work and continue your normal activities, as long as you avoid lifting, bending or twisting movements. If you experience a 50% or greater reduction in your symptoms, you and your doctor can discuss long-term InterStim Therapy.

Next: Step 2: Long-term InterStim Therapy