Sacral neuromodulation (Easy read)

Sacral nerve stimulation for bladder or bowel problems

This page is about Sacral Nerve Stimulation (SNS) – it’s the operation your doctors think may help with your bladder or bowel problems

This operation can help if you have an over-active bladder – this means

• you need to wee a lot

• or you can't always get to the toilet in time

This operation can help if you have faecal incontinence – this means

• you may leak poo after you have finished going for a poo

• or you can’t always get to the toilet in time

You will have 2 operations

The operations will be 2 to 4 weeks apart

Operation 1

The first operation tests to see if the operation is going to help you

• the surgeon and the anaesthetist will go through the plans for your operation

• we may give you a pair of special stockings to wear to help stop blood clots

• we may give you an injection to thin your blood

• we make a tiny cut in your lower back and a second tiny cut in your upper buttock

• we put a wire near the nerves - we do this using x-ray to make sure it is in the right place

• the wire passes out through the skin at the side of your buttock

• we connect this wire to a stimulator box outside your body

• the stimulator box sends electrical current to the nerves – you will wear the stimulator box all the time

• you will probably be able to go home on the same day as your operation

Between operation 1 and 2

• keep you dressings clean and dry

• don't shower or go in the bath

• keep yourself clean by using a sponge or flannel

• don't take the dressings off

• while you are at home, we will be in touch regularly to see how well everything is working

• fill in the bladder diary so that we can see if the treatment is helping

• if you get

• redness, pus or swelling around the operation site

• and a high temperature

• contact us straight away

Operation 2

The second operation makes the treatment long term

• if the treatment has not worked, we will take out the wire

• if the treatment has worked, we put in the permanent stimulator

• we may give you antibiotics to reduce the risk of getting an infection

• we usually switch on your stimulator after the operation – but sometimes we may wait a few days to do this

• when it is switched on you may get a tapping feeling

• we will set the stimulator up so that you get the most help without any discomfort

• we will show you how to change the stimulator settings yourself – by using a remote control device or your phone

• feel free to ask us any questions that you have

After the operation

• keep the dressings clean and dry

• don’t do any stretching or sport for 6 to 12 weeks – this can make the wires move out of place

• the operation is safe, but some people get side effects – the most common ones are

• tenderness in your back, ankle or foot

• problems with your bowels

• infection at the place where we did the operation

• you may start the security alarms in shops or at airports – show your SNS card to security staff or turn it off before going through security

• your battery may be rechargeable – we will show you how to charge it up

• if your battery is not rechargeable, we will replace it when it stops working

Long term

• the benefit you get from the stimulator may wear off after a while and we may need to reprogramme it

• if you think you may be pregnant your SNS will need to be switched off – we don’t know how it may affect the unborn baby

• don’t play any contact sports, ride horses or do any extreme sport

• some people cannot have an MRI scan, but some people can – ask your surgeon if you can have one

• if you need any other surgery, tell your surgeon that you have an SNS device, as it may need to be switched off