TENS Used for Pain Management During Office Cystoscopy Botox Injections

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation For Pain Control During Office Intra-detrusor Onabotulinumtoxin A Cystoscopy Injection for Overactive Bladder: A Phase III Randomized Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to determine how Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units affects pain management during office cystoscopic Botox injections and patient satisfaction with the procedure .

Study Overview

• Status: Terminated
• Conditions: Overactive Bladder
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Active TENS; Device: Sham TENS

Detailed Description

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a symptom complex pronounced by urinary urgency, affecting up to 12% of the adult population, with a significant negative impact quality on the life. Cystoscopic intra-detrusor onabotulinumtoxin A is used for the treatment of OAB in participants who do not tolerate or adequately respond to oral anticholinergic medications. The response to the onabotulinumtoxin A injection is transient and requires repeat injections roughly every 6-7 months. Adequate pain control during this procedure is essential for success in the office setting.

Options for adequate pain control during office-based cystoscopy procedures are limited. Currently, varying pain control strategies are being used including local anesthesia (intra-urethral lidocaine, intra-vesicular lidocaine solution), distraction techniques (conversation/music/'squeeze balls'), aromatherapy, intramuscular analgesia, sedation and a combination of these techniques. Despite this, participants often experience pain during the procedure. Trans-cutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is a non-pharmacologic, non-invasive and safe method of pain control that involves delivery of electrical impulses to the skin, resulting in a reduction in perceived pain. TENS units have been successfully used for procedural pain management during office hysteroscopy and office colonoscopy. TENS may also help reduce pain during office cystoscopy.

The study is a two arm phase III double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial looking at the effect of TENS unit on pain in participants receiving office based cystoscopic onabotulinum toxin A injection for overactive bladder at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
      • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Females age 18 years or older
• Scheduled to receive intra-detrusor Onabotulinumtoxin-A injection for Overactive Bladder in the outpatient clinic
• Reads, speaks, and understands the English language
• Able to understand the requirements of the study, including randomization
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous use of TENS therapy within one year prior to study enrollment
• Allergy to adhesives
• Currently has an implanted pacemaker or automatic cardiac defibrillator
• History of epilepsy
• Currently pregnant or within 12 weeks postpartum
• Unwilling to be randomized

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Activated TENS Unit with standard pain control measures; Activated TENS Unit with standard pain control measures during Office Based Cystoscopic Intra-detrusor Onabotulinumtoxin A Injection	Device: Active TENS; Standard TENS unit with four pads affixed to the lower back area, will be used in this arm. The TENS device will be set to an active setting.
Placebo Comparator: Sham TENS Unit with standard pain control measures; Sham TENS Unit with standard pain control measures during Office Based Cystoscopic Intra-detrusor Onabotulinumtoxin A Injection	Device: Sham TENS; Standard TENS unit with four pads affixed to the lower back area, will be used in this arm. The TENS device will be set to an inactive setting.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Participant Reported Pain Score From Baseline to Intra-Procedure	Using the participant-reported numerical pain scale, the change in participant reported pain was measured. This change was measured between two time points, baseline and intra-procedure. The participant-reported pain scale ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain) with higher scores indicating worse pain. When analyzing the data, the scale was multiplied by a factor of 10 to get a 100-point scale. Final results are reported using the 100-point scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 100 (worst pain) with higher scores indicating worse pain.	Baseline; intra-procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Participant Satisfaction From Post Procedure to 10 Minutes Following Completion of Cystoscopy	Using the 10-point Likert scale, the change in participant satisfaction was measured. This change was measured between two time points, post procedure and 10 minutes following completion of cystoscopy. Scores on the Likert scale range from 1 (complete dissatisfaction) to 10 (complete satisfaction), with higher scores indicating higher satisfaction.	Postprocedure, 10 minutes following completion of cystoscopy

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: John A Occhino, MD, MS, Mayo Clinic

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 28, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 31, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 23, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 24, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): June 25, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 20, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 4, 2025
• Last Verified: August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: TENS; Overactive Bladder; Botox injection - bladder
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; Urological Manifestations; Urinary Bladder Diseases; Urinary Bladder, Overactive
• Other Study ID Numbers: 20-003510

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: Yes
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: Yes