Greig, Julian; Mak, Quentin; Furrer, Marc A; Sahai, Arun; Raison, Nicholas (2023). Sacral neuromodulation in the management of chronic pelvic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurourology and urodynamics, 42(4), pp. 822-836. Wiley-Liss 10.1002/nau.25167 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/nau.25167>
INTRODUCTION Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a treatment approved for use in several conditions including refractory overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding dysfunction. Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a debilitating condition for which treatment is often challenging. SNM shows promising effect in patients with refractory CPP. However, there is a lack of clear evidence, especially in long-term outcomes. This systematic review will assess outcomes of SNM for treating CPP. METHODS A systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central and clinical trial databases was completed from database inception until January 14, 2022. Studies using original data investigating SNM in an adult population with CPP which recorded pre and posttreatment pain scores were selected. Primary outcome was numerical change in pain score. Secondary outcomes were quality of life assessment and change in medication use and all-time complications of SNM. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Tool for cohort studies. RESULTS Twenty-six of 1026 identified articles were selected evaluating 853 patients with CPP. The implantation rate after test-phase success was 64.3%. Significant improvement of pain scores was reported in 13 studies; three studies reported no significant change. WMD in pain scores on a 10-point scale was -4.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -5.32 to -3.95, p
