Florida Hospital Orlando (see more articles like this)

For the past 20 years Trish Matarazzo was afraid to stand up in meetings, always had to keep a towel with her, and had to buy clothes based on how fast they would dry.  That’s because when this 44-year-old was in her early 20s, she developed urinary incontinence problems.  Now, thanks to a new procedure called Interstim Therapy being done at Florida Hospital, Matarazzo doesn’t have to worry about not making it to the restroom in time.

The InterStim Therapy surgically places a small device under the skin that sends mild electrical pulses to a nerve located in the lower back, just above the tailbone. This nerve, called the sacral nerve, influences the bladder and surrounding muscles that manage urinary function. The electrical stimulation eliminates or reduces bladder control problems.

Matarazzo had undergone physical therapy, taken pills, and even tried botox to treat her urinary incontinence; all with no success.  She thought she had exhausted all her options, until she discovered the Interstim Therapy, and what Matarazzo found was “a real revolution.”  For the first time, when she felt an urge, she could make it to the bathroom without any leaks.  “I didn’t realize how much this problem was controlling my life.  Now I couldn’t be happier, I don’t even know the device is there,” said Matarazzo. 

About 17 million adults, mostly women, in the United States suffer with urinary incontinence problems.  “Unfortunately, many patients go untreated because they believe it’s a normal part of aging or they are simply embarrassed,” said Dr. Rakesh Patel, Florida Hospital Urologist.  “This new Interstim Therapy is providing remarkable results for people who thought they had run out of options.”

Interstim Therapy is currently offered at Florida Hospital Orlando with Dr. Rakesh Patel and at Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial with Dr. Julie Schneider.