Electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor versus vaginal cone therapy for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of functional electrostimulation of the pelvic floor and therapy with cones in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). 45 patients with SUI had the effects of functional electrostimulation of the pelvic floor were evaluated in the SUI treatment of 24 women, with the use of clinical data (micturition diary, pad test and a questionnaire about quality of life – I-QoL) measured. The patients were submitted to two 20′ weekly sessions for four consecutive months, under the supervision of a physiotherapist. The electrode used had 10 cm length and 3.5 cm width with a double metallic ring and a cylindrical shape, positioned in the medium third of the vagina. The electric parameters used were: intensity varying from 10 to 100 mA and 50 Hz of fixed frequency, with pulse duration of 1 ms. Also, we evaluated 21 patients who were submitted to vaginal cone treatment. The cone therapy was done with two 45 minute sessions per week. The cones’ weight varied from 20 to 100 gr.

The study shows that there was no difference between the outcomes of electrostimulation of the pelvic floor and the vaginal cones for the treatment of SUI therefore both electrostimulation and vaginal cones were effective in the treatment of women with SUI.

Santos PF, Oliveira E, Zanetti MR, Arruda RM, Sartori MG, Girão MJ, Castro RA. Electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor versus vaginal cone therapy for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2009 Sep;31(9):447-52

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