Effectiveness of simultaneous electroacupuncture stimulation on the tibial and ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerves in the treatment of refractory overactive bladder syndrome in women.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to observe the clinical effectiveness of simultaneous electroacupuncture stimulation on the tibial nerve (TN) and ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve (IIN/IHN) in the treatment of refractory overactive bladder (OAB) in women.

Materials and methods: A prospective study was conducted involving 94 female patients with a diagnosis of OAB in the Urology Department of our hospital from September 2022 to October 2023. The patients were randomly divided into a TN-IIN/IHN group and a control group, each comprising 47 cases. All patients in both groups had received anticholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonists (tolterodine/solifenacin), β3 receptor agonists, flupentixol/melitracen, and other basic treatment regimens with poor results. The TN-IIN/IHN group received simultaneous electroacupuncture on the TN and IIN/IHN, whereas the control group received pelvic floor muscle biofeedback electrical stimulation. Both groups underwent treatment 3 times a week for a total of 4 weeks. Bladder symptoms (24-hour voiding diary), OAB Symptom Score, OAB-Quality of Life Questionnaire, and anxiety and depression scores were compared and analyzed before treatment, after treatment, and at a 3-month follow-up. Clinical efficacy was also assessed.

Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in voiding frequency, nocturia, urgency, OAB Symptom Score, and average voiding volume after treatment and at follow-up (p < 0.01). The TN-IIN/IHN group showed significantly superior results compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Quality of life scores and anxiety and depression scores significantly decreased (p < 0.01), with the TN-IIN/IHN group scores significantly lower than those of the control group (p < 0.01). The treatment success rate in the TN-IIN/IHN group was 84.78%, whereas that in the control group was 28.89%, showing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01). No significant adverse reactions occurred in either group during the treatment period.

Conclusions: Simultaneous electroacupuncture on the TN and IIN/IHN is effective in treating refractory OAB in women and has good long-term efficacy. This therapy is safe, convenient, and free of significant adverse reactions, providing a new approach for the clinical treatment of refractory OAB in these patients. It significantly improves bladder symptoms and alleviates anxiety and depression, thereby markedly enhancing the patients' quality of life.