13 Nov Botox for your bladder
On August 24, 2011 the FDA approved onabotulinum toxin A (Botox) for injection into the bladder for treatment of urinary incontinence due to bladder overactivity associated with a neurologic condition such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke and many other conditions. This approval makes a new option available in patients suffering with these conditions. It will be particularly useful in patients who cannot tolerate or received no benefit from the usual bladder relaxant medications called anticholinergics. I have been using Botox in the bladders of patients off-label (before FDA approval) for several years based on promising results in the urologic literature. The injections are easy to administer and well tolerated by patients. A full evaluation by an urologist is necessary to determine if the patient is a good candidate for the treatment, and patients should be made aware of all possible side effects before proceeding.