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Pilot trial for device to restore bladder control to patients with spinal cord injury

28 April 2023

an elderly person sitting in a wheelchair

Dr Lynsey Duffell and Dr Sean Doherty, along with collaborators from the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital (RNOH) and Danish company, InnoCon Medical, have started conducting an investigational device pilot trial currently with 4 participants which will expand to 10 participants at the RNOH.

The project involves trialling a novel wearable neuromodulation device; a non-invasive electrical stimulation device called UCon which uses a Patch Electrode and provides on-demand suppression of bladder spasms and increased bladder capacity for people with spinal cord injuries.

Sean Doherty commented: “The loss of control over the bladder and bowel following spinal cord injury can be devastating for patients as they come to terms with the wide-ranging effects of paralysis in their daily lives. The UCon device provides us with a unique opportunity to restore control over urinary continence and increase bladder capacity by applying genital nerve stimulation effectively. In this pilot trial, we will evaluate the effects of user-controlled stimulation on bladder capacity and urinary continence in 10 people with spinal cord injuries. We are grateful to work with the committed team at InnoCon Medical and look forward to reporting trial results in 2024.