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For Your Health: Bladder pacemaker eases urinary problems
Carol Clarke
Anchor
For Your Health: Bladder pacemaker eases urinary problems
PACEMAKERS FOR THE HEART, BUT DO YOU KNOW THEY’RE USED ELSEWHERE IN THE BODY TOO FOR THE BRAIN THE STOMACH AND FOR THE BLADDER, IT’S BELIEVED AT LEAST 50 MILLION PEOPLE DEAL WITH AN OVERACTIVE BLADDER A HENDERSONVILLE DOCTOR SAYS GETTING A BLADDER PACEMAKER CAN BE A LIFE CHANGER FOR YOUR HEALTH. IMAGINE BEING IN A BALL GAME OR OUT SHOPPING AND IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND A CONSTANT WORRY, I COULDN’T ATTEND THOSE BECAUSE THE FIRST THING I DID WOULD DO IS LOOK FOR THE BATHROOM BECAUSE I HAD TO GO EVERY 30 MINUTES. UM, I WAS GOING THROUGH SIX TO PADS A DAY. WHICH GETS EXPENSIVE AFTER A WHILE KATHY KLEINACH HAD AN OVERACTIVE BLADDER. SHE TURNED TO ADVENT HEALTH EURO GYNECOLOGIST, DR. JEFFREY GARRIS. IT’S ALL THESE LIFE ISSUE. MOST PEOPLE WHO COME TO SEE ME HAVE ALREADY BEEN SEEN BY OTHER PHYSICIANS. HE FOUND KATHY WAS A PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR A BLADDER PACEMAKER. SMALL IMPLANTED UNDER THE SKIN AND THE LOWER BACK. IT SENDS OUT ELECTRICAL IMPULSES THAT CLEAN UP THE POOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BLADDER AND THE BRAIN THAT STIMULATOR KIND OF CHANGES THE SIGNAL KIND OF CLEANS UP THAT SIGNAL AND TALKS RIGHT BACK TO THE BLOOD OR NERVE IT. SO FOR THE BOWEL NERVOUS, SO BEFORE THE IMPLANT A TEST RUN THE PACEMAKER IS TAPED TO THE SKIN A TEMPORARY WIRE IS PLACED THROUGH THE SKIN IF A PATIENT GETS MORE THAN 50% IMPROVEMENT. IT’S A SUCCESS DR. GARRIS SAYS THE DEVICE HAS A 93 TO 94% SUCCESS RATE. OH MY GOODNESS I CAN GO FOR HOURS. KATHY’S HAD THE PACEMAKER FOR 10 MONTHS. I CAN GO AND ENJOY THINGS AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY AND AFTER I GO AFTER I, YOU KNOW GO TO THE BATHROOM AND COMPLETELY EMPTY MY BLADDER. IT’S REALLY EMPTY AND I HAVEN’T HAD THAT FEELING FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN ACTUALLY IMPACT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS. NO, DRUG SIDE EFFECTS THAT IT DOES REALLY IMPACT QUALITY OF LIFE. DR. GARRIS SAYS THE BATTERIES FOR THE PACEMAKER LAST A LONG TIME BETWEEN 10 AND 20 YEARS. HE ALSO SAYS MEDICARE MEDICAID AN
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For Your Health: Bladder pacemaker eases urinary problems
Carol Clarke
Anchor
Pacemakers are used to regulate the heart — but they're also used elsewhere. Pacemakers are available for the brain, stomach and also the bladder. It's believed at least 50 million people deal with an overactive bladder.Hendersonville urogynecologist Dr. Jeffrey Garris, says being able to offer a bladder pacemaker has changed his practice and has been a life-changer for his patients.Kathy Kleinknecht had the implant put in 10 months ago, to treat an overactive bladder.She said before the surgery, she couldn't go anywhere without having to look for a bathroom. She had to use the bathroom every 30 minutes and was going through six to eight pads a day, which she says was expensive. She went through a test first, where the pacemaker is taped to the skin and a wire is placed through the skin. If a patient gets more than 50% improvement, it's considered a success. Garris says the device has a 93-94 percent success rate. The pacemaker is then implanted under the skin of the lower back. It sends out electrical impulses that clean up the poor communication between the bladder and the brain."That stimulator kind of changes the signal," he said. "Cleans up that signal and talks right back to the bladder nerve or the bowel nerve itself."For Kathy Kleinknecht, the procedure was a life changer."I can go and enjoy things and not have to worry. And after I go to the bathroom and completely empty my bladder, it's really empty and I haven't had that feeling in a very long time."Garris says the procedure is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance.The batteries in the device are durable, lasting 10-20 years, depending on the type of battery.
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. —

Pacemakers are used to regulate the heart — but they're also used elsewhere. Pacemakers are available for the brain, stomach and also the bladder. It's believed at least 50 million people deal with an overactive bladder.

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Hendersonville urogynecologist Dr. Jeffrey Garris, says being able to offer a bladder pacemaker has changed his practice and has been a life-changer for his patients.

Kathy Kleinknecht had the implant put in 10 months ago, to treat an overactive bladder.

She said before the surgery, she couldn't go anywhere without having to look for a bathroom. She had to use the bathroom every 30 minutes and was going through six to eight pads a day, which she says was expensive.

She went through a test first, where the pacemaker is taped to the skin and a wire is placed through the skin. If a patient gets more than 50% improvement, it's considered a success. Garris says the device has a 93-94 percent success rate.

The pacemaker is then implanted under the skin of the lower back. It sends out electrical impulses that clean up the poor communication between the bladder and the brain.

"That stimulator kind of changes the signal," he said. "Cleans up that signal and talks right back to the bladder nerve or the bowel nerve itself."

For Kathy Kleinknecht, the procedure was a life changer.

"I can go and enjoy things and not have to worry. And after I go to the bathroom and completely empty my bladder, it's really empty and I haven't had that feeling in a very long time."

Garris says the procedure is covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance.

The batteries in the device are durable, lasting 10-20 years, depending on the type of battery.