Treatment of Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Contemporary Review

Abstract

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating condition affecting approximately 3% of the female population. IC/BPS is defined as an unpleasant sensation (pain, pressure, discomfort) perceived to be related to the urinary bladder, associated with lower urinary tract symptoms for more than six weeks duration, in the absence of infection or other identifiable cause. This condition is known to have a profound negative impact on quality of life. There are few well-studied treatment options and no cure for this condition, which is therefore challenging to treat. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarise the contemporary literature, including the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) and American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines, on various treatment options that exist for IC/BPS, including conservative therapies, oral therapies, intravesical therapies, and more invasive surgical options. Most importantly, this review highlights the need for an individualised, multimodal approach to the treatment of IC/BPS.

Advances in Assistive Electronic Device Solutions for Urology

“…In the past, IC was diagnosed infrequently with a global prevalence of approximately 0.1% [132]; however, the prevalence has increased to approximately 2% among females due to broader diagnosis criteria [133]. Traditionally, there has been a deficiency of expertise to study this syndrome and numerous treatment options fail to cure or change the natural history of the disease [134]. The recent development in optogenetic stimulation may provide a future for the management of IC.…”