InterStim for bowel control in Lawrenceville, Braselton and Oakwood

What is InterStim for bowel control?

InterStim is a form of sacral nerve stimulation used for chronic fecal incontinence, also called Medtronic Bowel Control Therapy. A small device is placed under the skin and sends gentle pulses to the sacral nerves in the pelvis, the nerves that help the bowel and the brain stay in sync. The aim is to reduce accidental bowel leakage and bowel urgency when conservative care has not given enough control.

The same system is also used for some bladder conditions, which is useful if you have bladder and bowel leakage together. Our symptom page on bowel leakage covers causes, urgent signs and the steps we try first. The practice overview is on the neuromodulation therapy for fecal control page and the fecal incontinence page on advancedurology.com.

Who might InterStim for bowel control be right for?

You may be a candidate if you have significant, ongoing fecal incontinence, you have already tried diet and fiber changes, bowel retraining, pelvic floor work and medication, and those steps have not given the relief you need. Our urologists confirm the diagnosis, review what you have already tried, and talk through whether a test phase is a reasonable next step.

InterStim is not the first treatment we reach for. People with a new, sudden change in bowel control, or with the emergency signs listed on our bowel leakage page, need those issues checked before any implant is discussed.

What happens during the InterStim test phase?

You can try the therapy before deciding on a long-term implant. During the test phase, which lasts 3 to 14 days, a thin temporary wire, called a lead, is placed in the upper buttock and connected to a small external device you wear under your clothes. A handheld programmer lets you start, stop or adjust the settings while you go about most of your usual activities and keep track of leakage and urgency.

You and our urologists then review the diary together. If symptoms improve about 50% or more, a permanent implant is often the next conversation. The test itself can involve movement of the wire, a technical problem with the device, or temporary discomfort, and the team will explain activity limits before you go home. The test is done at our Lawrenceville Clinic & Surgery Center on Crown Pointe Way.

What should I expect from a permanent InterStim implant?

If you move ahead, a small generator and a lead are placed under the skin, still at the Lawrenceville surgery center. Two versions are available: InterStim Micro, which is rechargeable, and InterStim X, which is recharge-free. Our urologists help you choose the one that fits how you live. The therapy is reversible: it can be turned off, and the device can be removed later if you decide it is not for you. People with an InterStim system may be able to have a full-body MRI under certain conditions, which is reviewed in advance.

Placing the implant carries the usual risks of a minor surgical procedure, including swelling, bruising, bleeding and infection. Those risks, and how they are lowered, are part of the consent conversation before a date is set. Follow-up visits can take place at Lawrenceville, Braselton or Oakwood.

Where is InterStim for bowel control done from our offices?

Consultations, diaries, medicine reviews and follow-up happen at any of our three offices in Lawrenceville, Braselton and Oakwood, which serve Gwinnett, Hall, Barrow and nearby Jackson-area towns such as Hoschton and Jefferson. The InterStim test phase and the permanent implant are performed at the Lawrenceville Clinic & Surgery Center at 501 Crown Pointe Way. Patients who start in Braselton or Oakwood keep their follow-up at the office they already know, unless they prefer to come to Crown Pointe Way.

What do patients ask?

Is InterStim for bowel control available to Lawrenceville, Braselton and Oakwood patients?

Yes. You can be evaluated for fecal incontinence treatment at any of those three offices. The test phase and the implant itself are done at our Lawrenceville Clinic & Surgery Center, and follow-up can return to Braselton or Oakwood if that is more convenient.

How many days does the InterStim test phase take?

The temporary-wire trial lasts 3 to 14 days. You wear a small external device, keep a symptom diary and use a handheld programmer to adjust settings. After the trial, our urologists review how much leakage and urgency changed before you decide on a permanent implant.

What does a 50% improvement during the test phase mean?

It means leakage or urgency dropped by about half or more while the temporary wire was in place, compared with your diary from before the test. That level of improvement is the usual threshold for talking about a permanent implant, and the decision is still made with you, based on how you felt during the week or two of the trial.

How do InterStim Micro and InterStim X compare?

InterStim Micro is the rechargeable option, and InterStim X is recharge-free. Both deliver sacral nerve stimulation for bowel control. The choice depends on whether you would rather recharge a smaller device or go longer between any battery-related visits, and our urologists walk through that trade-off with you.

Can InterStim for bowel control be turned off or taken out later?

Yes. The therapy can be turned off at any time with the programmer, and the device can be removed later if you choose. That is one reason the test phase comes first: you see how your symptoms respond before a long-term implant is placed.

Can InterStim help if I have bladder and bowel leakage together?

It may. The sacral nerves InterStim stimulates are involved in both bladder and bowel control, and the same system is used for certain bladder conditions as well as for chronic fecal incontinence. The visit reviews both sets of symptoms so the plan can address them together when that fits.

Which video can help?

Who provides InterStim for bowel control at our offices?

These are the urologists and physician assistants who see patients at our Lawrenceville, Braselton and Oakwood offices. Physician assistants see patients for evaluation and follow-up; the InterStim test and implant are performed by our urologists at the Lawrenceville surgery center.

• Dr. Hemant Chaparala, Urologist: sees patients at Lawrenceville, Braselton and Oakwood
• Dr. Vik Sabarwal, Urologist: sees patients at Lawrenceville and Braselton
• Dr. Michael F. Nordsiek, Urologist: sees patients at Lawrenceville
• Dr. Nicholas Farber, Urologist: sees patients at Braselton
• Dr. Mukesh Patel, Urologist: sees patients at Lawrenceville
• Ian Thomas, PA-C, Physician Assistant: sees patients at Lawrenceville and Oakwood
• Jordon Blackmon, PA-C, Physician Assistant: sees patients at Lawrenceville
• Lucy Choi, PA-C, Physician Assistant: sees patients at Lawrenceville and Braselton
• Sarah Nayebosadri, PA-C, Physician Assistant: sees patients at Braselton
• Lauren Goring, PA-C, Physician Assistant: sees patients at Braselton and Oakwood

Where can you be seen for this?

Our Lawrenceville Clinic & Surgery Center on Crown Pointe Way has exam rooms, imaging and an outpatient surgery center under one roof. Our Braselton Clinic on Old Winder Hwy cares for Braselton, Hoschton, Jefferson and Buford families. Gainesville, Flowery Branch and other Hall County patients are seen at our Oakwood Clinic on Mundy Mill Road. Any procedure from the Braselton or Oakwood offices is done at the Lawrenceville surgery center.