Doha, April 15 (QNA) - Sidra Medicine announced that it had successfully performed a sacral neuromodulation implantation procedure on an eight-year-old child with spina bifida.

According to Sidra Medicine, this innovative procedure is a minimally invasive solution for children with severe bladder dysfunction.

Chair of Pediatric Surgery at Sidra Medicine Dr. Mansour Ali said: "This marks the first time the neuromodulation procedure has been carried out in Qatar on a child." The introduction of sacral neuromodulation is a new treatment option now available in Qatar, for children over the age of seven, who do not respond to first-line therapies.

In April 2024, a young patient with a neurogenic bladder and related complications caused by spina bifida, was referred to Sidra Medicine's Multidisciplinary (MDT) spina bifida clinic. 

Prior to arriving at Sidra Medicine, she had undergone several medical procedures at other hospitals to control the condition. She was experiencing recurrent urinary tract infections and persistent incontinence.

Sidra Medicine's MDT spina bifida clinic includes specialists from urology, nephrology, rehabilitation, and neurosurgery.

Division Chief of Urology at Sidra Medicine who is part of the MDT Spina Bifida clinic Dr. Santiago Vallasciani said: "After having reviewed all possible options and seeing that previous procedures did not address her bladder dysfunction properly, we decided upon performing a sacral neuromodulation. The minimally invasive treatment was the most suitable option and a longer-term solution. Introducing this approach allows us to expand the range of care we can provide to complex pediatric patients while avoiding more invasive reconstructive surgeries whenever possible."

The procedure involves implanting a small battery-operated device, called a neurostimulator, that stimulates the sacral nerves - the nerves responsible for bladder control. Acting similarly to a pacemaker, the neurostimulator regulates nerve signals and can be programmed to optimize bladder function while minimizing disruption to the patient’s daily life. The device is controlled by an external remote control.

While sacral neuromodulation has previously been performed on a small number of adult patients in Qatar, it had not previously been carried out in younger children in the country.

The innovative procedure was done in collaboration with Dr. Tariq Al Shaiji, a Consultant Urologist from the State of Kuwait.

Dr. Tariq Al Shaiji said: "As a second-line therapy, sacral neuromodulation will provide a non-invasive option for children with bladder dysfunction."

Following the success of its first sacral neuromodulation, Sidra Medicine has now added the procedure to its list of pediatric surgery options. (QNA)