PURPOSE OF REVIEW - Stress urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, and underactive bladder are highly prevalent among elderly women, and have significant impact on quality of life; however, existing treatments are limited and are not always successful for all patients.
Researchers are investigating a multitude of new therapies to treat these conditions. This review will summarize the recent literature on investigative therapies for these conditions.
RECENT FINDINGS - Multiple new treatments are being developed for lower urinary tract dysfunction. Some of these treatments, including balloon therapy and muscle-derived stem cells for stress urinary incontinence, could provide alternatives to existing therapies. Others require further research before being used in patients, such as pudendal nerve stimulation for overactive bladder and intravesical liposomes for drug delivery in interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.
SUMMARY - Multiple new therapies are being investigated that could provide clinicians with additional tools to treat lower urinary tract disorders in millions of elderly women.
Current opinion in urology. 2016 Mar [Epub]
Calvin Lee, Christopher J Chermansky, Margot S Damaser
aDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio bDepartment of Urology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.