Electrostimulation of the posterior tibial nerve in individuals with overactive bladder: a literature review

Abstract

[Purpose] This study aims to gather scientific evidence to identify whether clinical trials on Electrostimulation of the Posterior Tibial Nerve (ESPTN) in individuals with overactive bladder present an adequate methodological standard according to the PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database) criteria. [Methods] Integral literature review, including randomized controlled clinical trials found in PEDro. [Results] We found 16 articles, of which only one did not meet the inclusion criteria. This article has shown that ESPTN is a conservative tool of physiotherapy that is less invasive than other therapies, is well tolerated by patients and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of overactive bladder. However, few standardized clinical studies have been conducted, and only 26.6% of the articles included in this review obtained a score of more than five items on the PEDro scale. [Conclusion] This article has shown that ESPTN is a conservative tool of physiotherapy that is less invasive than other therapies, is well tolerated by patients and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of overactive bladder. Thus, there is a need for more clinical articles that follow the quality criteria for randomized clinical trials, allowing more reliable scientific results.