Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36877182›Full record

SynthesisNeurourology and urodynamics2023

Sacral neuromodulation in the management of chronic pelvic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Julian Greig, Quentin Mak, Marc A Furrer, Arun Sahai, Nicholas Raison

Open access · hybridAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neurourology and urodynamics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
11.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 39 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
  2. Article
  3. Sacral Nerve Modulation Alleviates Neuropathic Pelvic Pain Through Modulation of the Spinal Immune Microenvironment and Microglial Activation.Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology · 2026
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. The pelvic floor: myth or hype?-a narrative review.Gynecology and pelvic medicine · 2026
    Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Julian GreigFaculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0574-5063
Quentin MakFaculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-6430-4896
Marc A FurrerDepartment of Urology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-8847-6799
Arun SahaiDepartment of Urology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4679-0506
Nicholas RaisonDepartment of Urology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0496-4985
King's College London · GBGuy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust · GBGuy's Hospital · GBUniversity of Bern · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionSacral neuromodulation (SNM) is a treatment approved for use in several conditions including refractory overactive bladder (OAB) and voiding dysfunction. Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a debilitating condition for which treatment is often challenging. SNM shows promising effect in patients with refractory CPP. However, there is a lack of clear evidence, especially in long-term outcomes. This systematic review will assess outcomes of SNM for treating CPP.

methodsA systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central and clinical trial databases was completed from database inception until January 14, 2022. Studies using original data investigating SNM in an adult population with CPP which recorded pre and posttreatment pain scores were selected. Primary outcome was numerical change in pain score. Secondary outcomes were quality of life assessment and change in medication use and all-time complications of SNM. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Tool for cohort studies.

resultsTwenty-six of 1026 identified articles were selected evaluating 853 patients with CPP. The implantation rate after test-phase success was 64.3%. Significant improvement of pain scores was reported in 13 studies; three studies reported no significant change. WMD in pain scores on a 10-point scale was -4.64 (95% confidence interval [CI] = -5.32 to -3.95, p < 0.00001) across 20 studies which were quantitatively synthesized: effects were maintained at long-term follow-up. Mean follow-up was 42.5 months (0-59). Quality of life was measured by RAND SF-36 and EQ-5D questionnaires and all studies reported improvement in quality of life. One hundred and eighty-nine complications were reported in 1555 patients (Clavien-Dindo Grade I-IIIb). Risk of bias ranged from low to high risk. Studies were case series and bias stemmed from selection bias and loss to follow-up.

conclusionSacral Neuromodulation is a reasonably effective treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain and significantly reduces pain and increases patients' quality of life with immediate to long-term effects.

Indexed as

Electric Stimulation TherapyUrinary Bladder, OveractiveAdultHumansPelvic PainQuality of LifeTreatment Outcomeinterstitial cystitisnerve stimulationneuromodulationpelvic painsacral nerve

Identifiers

PMID36877182
OpenAlexW4323295403

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.