Snellville Clinic & Surgery Center
1557 Janmar RdSnellville, GA 30078
Fecal incontinence treatment · Snellville & Conyers
InterStim for bowel control
When diet changes, pelvic floor work and medicines have not stopped accidental bowel leakage, sacral nerve stimulation is the next step many people ask about. Advanced Urology offers Medtronic Bowel Control Therapy with the InterStim system. You are evaluated at our Snellville or Conyers office, and the test and implant are done at an Advanced Urology surgery center.
How does InterStim work for bowel control?
The sacral nerves, low in the back, carry signals that help control the bowel, the anal muscles and the bladder. The InterStim system uses a small implanted device to send mild pulses to those nerves. The aim is to restore more normal signaling between the bowel and the brain, so you get warning and hold on long enough to reach a toilet.
Who is a candidate?
Advanced Urology lists three signs that sacral nerve stimulation may fit:
- Significant fecal incontinence that keeps going
- Lifestyle changes and oral medicine have already been tried
- Those steps have not given the relief you want
A visit with one of our urologists confirms whether it is right for you, based on what is causing the leaks and your other health conditions.
What happens in the test phase?
The big advantage of InterStim is that you try it before committing to a long-term device.
- A thin wire, called a lead, is placed in the upper buttock during a short outpatient procedure.
- The lead connects to a small external device worn under your clothing.
- A handheld programmer lets you start, stop or adjust the stimulation.
- You go about most normal activities for a short trial and keep a record of leaks and urgency.
- You and your urologist review the record together and decide whether to go ahead.
Risks of the trial include the wire shifting, device problems and temporary discomfort. Our team shows you how to use the system and which activities to avoid before you start.
What if the test works?
If leaks and urgency improve enough, a small device is implanted under the skin in a second outpatient procedure. You can choose a recharge-free device, InterStim X, or a rechargeable one, InterStim Micro. The therapy is reversible: it can be turned off at any time, and the device can be removed with another procedure.
As with any operation, risks include swelling, bruising, bleeding and infection. Full-body MRI may be possible under certain conditions, which your urologist checks for your device.
Can it help bladder leakage too?
Yes. InterStim is also used for overactive bladder and some types of urinary retention, so people with both bladder and bowel leakage are evaluated for both at once. Read InterStim candidates with overactive bladder and what happens during the trial for urinary retention.
Where can I be seen?
Evaluation happens close to home. Call (678) 344-8900 to see us in Snellville or Conyers first.
Snellville, GA 30078
Conyers Clinic
1366 Wellbrook Circle Suite BConyers, GA 30012
Who will I see?
Urologists here who evaluate people for InterStim: meet the whole team.
Jitesh Patel, MDUrologist · Snellville 
A. Dev Mally, MDUrologist · Snellville 
Marc Greenstein, DOUrologist · Conyers 
Kushan Radadia, MDUrologist · Conyers
Is there a video on this?
The Advanced Urology podcast talks through bowel leakage and its treatments, including nerve stimulation.
What do people ask us?
Is InterStim for bowel control reversible?
Yes. The stimulation can be switched off whenever you choose, and the device can be removed in a later procedure. Because of that, the decision to keep it can be revisited later with our urologists.
What does the test phase feel like?
It starts with a thin wire placed in the upper buttock and connected to a small external device you wear under your clothes. A handheld programmer lets you start, stop or adjust the stimulation while you go about most normal activities. You keep a simple record of leaks and urgency, and at the end those results guide the decision on a long-term device.
Do I have to try other treatments first?
Usually, yes. Advanced Urology lists diet and fiber changes, bowel retraining, pelvic floor work and medicine as the first steps. InterStim is considered when those have been tried and leaks are still significant.
Where can I get InterStim for bowel leakage near Snellville or Conyers?
Start with a visit at our Snellville Clinic & Surgery Center, 1557 Janmar Rd, or our Conyers Clinic, and our urologists will plan the test phase from there. People come to us from Gwinnett, Rockdale, Newton, Henry and Walton counties, including Loganville, Grayson and Lilburn. Call (678) 344-8900 or book online.
Where can I read more?
Educational content, not medical advice. Our urologists review the risks and benefits of InterStim and the alternatives with you.
Wondering whether InterStim could stop the leaks?
Start with a visit in Snellville or Conyers and we’ll plan the test phase together.