But I and Marcun Varda N (2006) Functional magnetic stimulation: a new method for the treatment of girls with primary nocturnal enuresis? J Pediatr Urol 2: 415–418

Several approaches have been used to treat the multifactorial condition, primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE), without complete success. Functional magnetic stimulation (FMS) has been suggested as an alternative to electrical stimulation for the treatment of bladder overactivity in women. But and Marcun Varda carried out a pilot study to establish the efficacy of FMS in girls with PNE.

This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study included 20 girls with PNE (age range 6–14 years). The girls were randomly assigned to active or placebo Pulsegen devices and instructed to wear the device continuously for 2 months, while keeping a voiding diary. The active Pulsegen device generated a low-frequency pulsating electromagnetic field.

A significant improvement in PNE episodes was seen after FMS treatment (P = 0.007). The number of PNE episodes in the active-treatment group fell from 3.1 to 1.3 per week. After treatment, three girls from the active-treatment group experienced no PNE episodes, compared with one girl from the placebo-treatment group. In the active-treatment group, a significant increase in bladder volume at maximal desire to void was observed (P = 0.022) and there was also a trend towards increased bladder volume at first desire to void. Patients did not report any discomfort or adverse effects.

This study confirms that FMS is safe and suitable for use in children. Further randomized, placebo-controlled studies in larger numbers of girls are recommended to confirm these results. Studies to evaluate the long-term efficacy of this promising treatment are also needed.