Bladder-sphincter biofeedback as treatment of detrusor instability in women who failed to respond to oxybutynin

Background. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of bladder-sphincter-biofeedback as a secondary treatment for those women with detrusor instability who failed to respond to oxybutynin chloride. Methods. In a prospective non-randomized trial, 31 of 70 women with detrusor instability were assigned to either the study bladder-sphincter-biofeedback training group (n = 16) or to the control pelvic floor exercise group (n = 15) after they had failed to respond to oxybutynin chloride. Results. Thirty (43%) of the 70 women were cured by oxybutynin chloride, and 9 (13%) withdrew due to various side effects. A comparison of cure rates between biofeedback training and pelvic floor exercise groups demonstrated that there were significant differences in objective changes: detrusor pressure (68.75% vs. 0%, p < 0.001), compliance (75.0% vs. 6.67%, p < 0.001), and resting maximal urethral closure pressure (43.75% vs. 6.67%, p < 0.037). Neither the cure rate nor improvement rate of subjective changes (urgency, and frequency and episodes of urge incontinence), significantly differed. Conclusion. Oxybutynin chloride was not well tolerated while bladder-sphincter-biofeedback was well accepted. As a secondary treatment, it appears better than pelvic floor exercise alone and may be the choice of non-surgical treatment in those women who failed to respond to oxybutynin chloride for detrusor instability.