The Leakage Glossary

Below is a list of terms that could help you better understand leakage and incontinence treatments.

Adverse Event

Complications or side effects that may result from a procedure, surgery, or a device.

Bladder

Balloon-like organ in the lower abdomen where urine is stored.

Botox

Injected into the bladder with a cystoscope to treat OAB.

Bulkamid

Bulkamid is an injectable soft-tissue urethral bulking agent for SUI delivered with a procedure.

Catheter

A temporary, flexible tube to drain urine from the bladder.

Continence

The term continence is used when the individual has control of their bladder and/or bowels.

Cystoscope

A small instrument with a viewing camera used by the doctor to view the urethra and bladder.

Dual Incontinence

When a person suffers from both FI and UUI. Both can be treated with SNM.

eCoin Tibial Stimulator

The eCoin is FDA approved for urge urinary incontinence. It is a coin-sized, pacemaker-like device implanted into the lower leg to stimulate the tibial nerve.

Fecal Bulking

Injection of a material into the rectum to reduce the rectum tube size to reduce F but still allow for normal bowel movements when desired.

Fecal Incontinence (FI)

Leakage of stool without needed warning.

Mid-Urethral Sling

Surgical placement of synthetic Mesh in a strap-like fashion under the urethra to treat SUI.

Mixed Urinary Incontinence (MUI)

When a person has both SUI and UUI.  The symptom that lowers quality of life more should be treated first.

Neuromodulation

Therapy in which the nerves of the bladder and pelvic floor are targeted to improve symptoms.

Nocturia

Needing to urinate one or more times during sleeping hours.

Overactive Bladder (OAB)

Symptoms of  urinary urgency, urinary frequency, nocturia, and urge urinary incontinence.

Pecutaneous Tibial Nerve Modulation (PTNM) or Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS)

Office treatment using a needle placed at the lower leg with stimulation applied for 30 minutes to treat OAB symptoms.

Solesta Bulking Procedure

Solesta is an injectable rectal bulking agent for FI delivered with a procedure.

Sacral Neuromodulation (SNM)

Implantation of a small device in 2 phases at the sacrum that sends small electrical impulses to the nerves that control both the bladder and bowels.  This therapy improves OAB, FI, and urinary retention.

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)

Urine leakage with physical activity such as laughing, sneezing, lifting, or exercise.

Top-Up Injection

When a repeat Bulkamid or Solesta injection is performed shortly after the initial therapy to improve incontinence.

Urethra

Tube from the bladder to the outside of the body that urine passes through during urination.

Urethral Bulking

Injection of a material into the urethra to reduce the urethral tube size to reduce SUI but still allow for normal voiding when desired.

Urinary Frequency

Urinating 8 or more times per day.

Urinary Urge Incontinence (UUI)

Urinary leakage that occurs with the sudden, strong desire to urinate.

Urinary Urgency

A sudden strong desire to urinate, which is difficult to defer, but leakage does not occur.

Urodynamics

Test performed in the office using a machine to evaluate how well your bladder fills and empties.  It also objectively defines why one leaks (SUI vs. OAB vs. MUI).