TREATMENT OF PELVIC DISORDERS BY ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION

摘要

A system for the treatment of urge incontinence by electrical stimulation of pudendal nerve afferents (108; 110) of a living being (102) includes an implantable electrode (116) configured to be placed at a portion of a pudendal nerve or its branches, and a pulse generator (118) configured to provide a sequence of electrical pulses to the electrode (116) in order to achieve the electrical stimulation. The pulse generator (118) is configured to enter an active mode when a control signal is provided, and to enter a dormant mode when the sequence of electrical pulses has been completed. A wake-up circuit causes the pulse generator (118) to exit the dormant mode and to enter the active mode. A power source of the system is configured such that a voltage is maintained at the wake-up circuit in the dormant mode of the pulse generator (118), and no voltage is maintained at the pulse generator in the dormant mode.