CHENNAI: After years of relying on catheters and diapers, a 14-year-old girl from Cuddalore can now lead a normal life, following a nerve stimulation procedure performed at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai. Doctors there successfully carried out sacral neuromodulation therapy in March, a first for a state-run facility, to treat her neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
The girl was admitted to the Institute of Neurosurgery in February with a condition in which disrupted nerve signals between the brain and the bladder led to loss of urinary control, doctors said. She had been dependent on a catheter or diapers due to urinary incontinence, which also forced her to stay away from school.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr R Raghavendran, director of the Institute of Neurosurgery, said the family had earlier been referred to a Mumbai hospital, where the procedure was estimated to cost around Rs 25 lakh.
Sacral neuromodulation involves implanting an electrode attached to a battery in the body that stimulates nerves controlling bladder function. It is usually considered when medication fails. The device works like a pacemaker for the bladder.
Given the high cost (Rs 13 lakh-Rs 15 lakh) of the device, doctors first conducted a trial procedure by placing the battery externally to assess its effectiveness. The hospital then procured the device at a cost of Rs 7 lakh for this patient after negotiations, Dr Raghavendran said.
The trial procedure was carried out on March 3 and March 18. Following positive results, the battery and electrode were placed inside the girl’s body on March 18. She responded well to the treatment and was discharged on March 23.