SATURDAY, May 25, 2002 (HealthDayNews) -- In studying the problems of bladder control, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have come up with some promising possible remedies for people who have bladder problems.
For those whose bladders are overactive but not chronic, there's a new use for Botox, a form of the deadly botulism toxin. Botox was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to smoothe out wrinkles temporarily in cosmetic treatments. Essentially, Botox paralyzes muscles.
Urinary incontinence is more serious, and researchers found that cells from muscle tissue may be prove to be a good treatment.
More than 13 million Americans suffer from this condition, an inability to control the flow of urine. It's especially prevalent in women over the age of 55.
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study involved muscle cells transplanted into the bladder. Called a muscle derived cell (MDC) transplant, the procedure calls for cells to be taken from a skeletal muscle, purified and cloned, and then injected into the bladder of the same individual.
The researchers performed the experiement on mice, in which the purified, cloned and genetically cells were injected into the bladder walls . The mice bladders were evaluated at different points over six months and showed evidence that the new muscle cells were taking hold in the bladders.
Meanwhile, the Botox experiments were performed on 50 humans with a variety of voiding control problems that caused involuntary contraction of the bladder muscle, resulting in incontinence or an inability to completely empty the bladder.
All the patients received Botox injections in the bladder or urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of your body.
After receiving the Botox, 41 of the 50 people said their incontinence decreased or disappeared. Those improvements occurred within seven days of receiving the botox and lasted for about six months.
Both studies were to be presented today at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association in Orlando, Fla.
More information
This article from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) offers suggestions for bladder control.
