CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05702567Updated Aug 23, 2023

The Effectiveness of Transvaginal Radiofrequency in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence

An interventional study of RF + PFMT and PFMT + Placebo RF in Urinary Incontinence,Stress, Pelvic Floor Disorders and Urinary Incontinence, sponsored by José Casaña Granell. Completed at 1 site in Spain. Open to female participants aged 20 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2023-08-23.

Sponsored by José Casaña Granell · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
42
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
20 Years to 75 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The following clinical trial investigates the efficacy of transvaginal radiofrequency in the physiotherapy treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The treatment compares transvaginal radiofrequency with pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) and PFMT alone.

The present study is a randomized controlled trial with double blinding (evaluator and patients).

The objective is to evaluate what radiofrequency can provide in the improving of the quality of life, symptoms and pelvic floor muscle strength of patients with SUI.

The reason for the combination with PFMT, is that it is the golden standard treatment in pelvic floor rehabilitation and SUI improvement.

Read the detailed description

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a health burden for more than 200 million people in the world. 34% of women over the age of 40 experience or have already experienced some significant experience with UI, thus affecting their health-related quality of life (QoHR).

SUI is endowed with a complex and multifactorial pathophysiology, generally involving the pelvic floor musculature and adjacent collagen-dependent tissues that help in support.

According to the literature, there are two clearly described mechanisms:

  • The loss of urethral support, of the anterior vaginal wall, transforming into urethral hypermobility.
  • Deficiency of urethral closure, such as rotational descent of the proximal part of the urethra, of the pubourethral ligament, with loss of internal urethral integrity.

The pelvic floor musculature plays an important role in helping the urethral support, during voluntary contraction. If the muscles are weak, urine loss is greater.

RF is an electrophysical and medical technique that generates tissue heating for therapeutic purposes. This technology uses electromagnetic RF fields with frequencies between 434 and 925 MHz, these forming part of the techniques classified as high frequency. The increases in temperature can reach 41.5ºC to 45ºC, according to some studies, and in another reaching 50ºC, acting at 6 and 8 cm3 depth, and generating biological effects on the skin and in the deeper layers.

It is known that RF promotes angiogenesis and increases local vascularization, stimulating collagen and elastin, resulting in changes in the helical structure of collagen, due to the denaturation and restructuring of its fibers. Changing the nature of connective tissues.

Investigators will make use of the non-ablative resistive RF mode, which does not have the capacity to section, but does have cell stimulation through superficial application on the skin, generating anti-inflammatory effects at the physiological level and collagen contraction, as an effect of short duration, and the stimulation of collagen synthesis or neocollagenesis thanks to the inflammation of the fibroblasts, to repair the damage present, as a long-lasting effect. Which would be interesting, because the pelvic floor is formed in its great majority by connective tissue and this would help to regenerate the tissue.

Treatment with this technology has not been sufficiently investigated in the intravaginal treatment of the pelvic floor. Previous studies lead to transurethral medical treatments that require local anesthesia, and the pathologies treated are the different types of urinary incontinence (stress, urgency, and mixed) and vaginal laxity. However, from the transvaginal approach the investigators found few studies.

02

Conditions studied

  • Urinary Incontinence,Stress
  • Pelvic Floor Disorders
  • Urinary Incontinence
  • Pelvic Floor Muscle Weakness

Keywords

  • Urinary loss
  • Pelvic floor dysfunctions
  • Women
  • Pelvic floor muscle training
  • Indiba Therapy
  • Physiotherapy
03

In context

Muscle Weakness

601 studies on the registry are indexed under Muscle Weakness; 99 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 42 is close to the median of 46 across 444 interventional studies indexed under Muscle Weakness.

Browse Muscle Weakness studies →

Lead sponsor

This is the only study on the registry with José Casaña Granell as lead sponsor.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
20 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Women between 20 - 75 years
  • Previously diagnosed SUI through assessment and questionnaires.
  • PAD Test of 1h with > or = 1gr of urine loss.
  • Urine losses in the last week.
  • Nulliparous and multiparous.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Women > 75 years.
  • Another type of urinary incontinence, urge or mixed.
  • Difficulty urinating
  • Hematuria
  • Pregnancy
  • Patients with any type of cancer or with a personal history of it.
  • Previous surgeries for the treatment of SUI
  • Gynecological surgeries (hysterectomy, containment mesh for different prolapses).
  • Neurological and cognitive problems.
  • Injury to the spinal cord, lower limbs or pelvis.
  • Grade II, III or IV pelvic organ prolapse.
  • Vaginal or urinary infection.
  • Drugs:

    • Antimuscarinics (oxybutinin)
    • Toterodine
    • Trospium
    • Solifenacin
    • Darifenacin
    • Fesoterodine
    • Atropine
    • Anticholinergics
    • Antidepressants:
    • Duloxetine
    • Imipramine
    • Estrogens
    • Botulinum Toxin
    • Alpha-adrenergic agonists
    • Ephedrine
    • Pseudoephedrine
    • Antidiuretics (desmopressin)
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Factorial assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
42 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    RF + PFMT

    The participants recieve 18 sessions of radiofrequency (RF) and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), divided into three sessions per week for a total of six weeks, with a net treatment time of 40 minutes, each one.

    Device: RF + PFMT

  • Placebo comparator
    PFMT

    The participants recieve 18 sessions of no radiofrequency (RF) and pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), divided into three sessions per week for a total of six weeks, with a net treatment time of 40 minutes, each one. The RF device is started, but in this case, the program does not work or apply radiofrequency to the patients.

    Other: PFMT + Placebo RF

Interventions

  • DeviceRF + PFMT

    During each session the patient is lying face up, with knees bent and feet resting on the stretcher. Then, the vaginal probe is introduced into the cavity using a lubricant suitable for intracavitary use and radiofrequency. The device is started at 15% intensity and adapting to a 10-point Likert scale, at point 3 or 4 of intensity. At the same time that the radiofrequency is applied, pelvic floor contractions are performed guided by the physiotherapist, and these contractions are three: * 10 fast contractions of one second each, with 10 seconds of rest. * 5 seconds of sustained contraction and 10 seconds of rest. * 10 seconds of contraction maintained with 10 seconds of rest. The contraction maintenance time will be adapted to what each woman can keep the pelvic floor contracted, with a view to the goal being to complete these exercises cyclically during the entire session.

    Also known as: INDIBA Activ CT9 SN: 19A150410

  • OtherPFMT + Placebo RF

    The intervention is exactly the same as the group RF + PFMT, unlike the non-functioning of the RF in the patients belonging to this group. The patient is lying face up, with knees bent and feet resting on the stretcher. Then, the vaginal probe is introduced into the cavity using a lubricant suitable for intracavitary use and radiofrequency, the device is started at 15% intensity, but in this case, the program does not work or apply radiofrequency to the patients. At the same time, that the radiofrequency's probe is applied, pelvic floor contractions are performed guided by the physiotherapist, and these contractions are the three named in the Radiofrequency + PFMT. The contraction maintenance time will be adapted to what each woman can keep the pelvic floor contracted, with a view to the goal being to complete these exercises cyclically during the entire session.

    Also known as: INDIBA Activ CT9 SN: 19A150410

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in the ICIQ-SF scale before, after and six months after treatment in both groups.

    ICIQ-SF: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire, short form. The minimum score is 0, and the maximum is 21. Where 0 is the absence of urinary incontinence and everything valued above 0 is a symptom of urinary incontinence. The higher the value, the worse the incontinence.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  2. The change of signs, symptoms and impact of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFDI-20) between reviews (before, after and at six months of treatment in both groups).

    PFDI-20 : Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Questionnaire - 20. It has 20 questions that are in turn divided into three symptomatic scales. The minimum value is 0, and the maximum is 300, which is the result of the sum of the total of the three subscales of 100 points of maximum value. This scale, the higher the value, the greater the pelvic floor dysfunction.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  3. The change of signs, symptoms and impact of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFIQ-7) between reviews (before, after and at six months of treatment in both groups)

    PFIQ-7 has 7 questions for each subscale, which are three in total. The minimum value is 0, and the maximum is 300, which is the result of the sum of the total of the three subscales of 100 points of maximum value. This scale, the higher the value, the greater the pelvic floor dysfunction.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in maximum and average strength of the pelvic floor before, after and six months after treatment in both groups. .

    The maximum and average muscle strength is the value offered by the pelvimetry at the vaginal level, resulting from three submaximal contractions requested from the woman.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  2. Changes in muscle tone before, after and six months after treatment in both groups.

    Muscle tone is measured with a pelvimeter, which is inserted vaginally and the patient in the supine position and triple flexion of the lower limbs, relaxes and we take the base measurement, resulting from the subtraction of the result obtained minus 170mmHg of base.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  3. Changes in sexual function (FSFI) before, after and six months after treatment in both groups.

    FSFI: Female Sexual Function Index. The minimum value is 2, and the maximum is 36, which is the result of the sum of the results of each domain, which are 6 in total, with a maximum value of 6 points each. This scale the higher the value, the better sexual function. It consists of 19 questions, divided into subgroups according to the symptom to be studied: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  4. Check the level of physical activity measured with the GPAQ scale, in both groups, before, after and at six months.

    GPAQ: global physical activity questionnaire. The GPAQ measures how many MET-min of physical activity is engaged during a typical week. The MET-min per week obtained from the GPAQ is a scale-type variable. Moderate- intensity physical activity corresponds to 4 MET/min, and vigorous-intensity physical activity corresponds to 8 MET/min.\[6\] During the calculation of weekly total MET-min, the durations of each type of physical activity are multiplied by these coefficients. The minimum value is 0 and the maximum is 3000 MET-min.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  5. Changes in the Pad Test 1h before, after and six months after treatment in both groups.

    Indications are given for one consecutive hour using a pad that will be given to the researcher, as well as a pad of the same model to weigh the difference obtained. The indications range from the intake of 500 ml of water, to various abdominal hyperpressure exercises.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

  6. Changes in Pelvic Muscle Excersice Self-Efficacy (Broome scale) before, after and six months after treatment in both groups.

    Evaluates the perception and safety of patients in knowing how to contract the pelvic floor in different situations of daily life and their degree of confidence in them in the face of abdominal hyperpressure. The minimum value is 0 and the maximum is 100 in both subscales. The higher the value, the greater the awareness and confidence in the pelvic floor contractions.

    Time frame: Before treatment, six weeks of treatment, and 6 months assessments were required.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Yasmin Er Rabiai Boudallaa
    San Agustín del Guadalix, Madrid 28750, Spain
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Buchsbaum GM, McConville J, Korni R, Duecy EE. Outcome of transvaginal radiofrequency for treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2007 Mar;18(3):263-5. doi: 10.1007/s00192-006-0136-4. Epub 2006 Jun 21. PubMed 16788852 ↗
  • Lukban JC. Transurethral radiofrequency collagen denaturation for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence: a review of the literature and clinical recommendations. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2012;2012:384234. doi: 10.1155/2012/384234. Epub 2011 Oct 12. PubMed 22007230 ↗
  • KEGEL AH, POWELL TO. The physiologic treatment of urinary stress incontinence. J Urol. 1950 May;63(5):808-14. doi: 10.1016/S0022-5347(17)68832-3. No abstract available. PubMed 15422687 ↗
  • Kumaran B, Watson T. Thermal build-up, decay and retention responses to local therapeutic application of 448 kHz capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency: A prospective randomised crossover study in healthy adults. Int J Hyperthermia. 2015;31(8):883-95. doi: 10.3109/02656736.2015.1092172. Epub 2015 Nov 2. PubMed 26524223 ↗
  • Giombini A, Giovannini V, Di Cesare A, Pacetti P, Ichinoseki-Sekine N, Shiraishi M, Naito H, Maffulli N. Hyperthermia induced by microwave diathermy in the management of muscle and tendon injuries. Br Med Bull. 2007;83:379-96. doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldm020. PubMed 17942453 ↗
  • Smith WB, Melton W, Davies J. Midsubstance Tendinopathy, Percutaneous Techniques (Platelet-Rich Plasma, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, Prolotherapy, Radiofrequency Ablation). Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 2017 Apr;34(2):161-174. doi: 10.1016/j.cpm.2016.10.005. Epub 2017 Jan 18. PubMed 28257672 ↗
  • Lalji S, Lozanova P. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a monopolar nonablative radiofrequency device for the improvement of vulvo-vaginal laxity and urinary incontinence. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2017 Jun;16(2):230-234. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12348. Epub 2017 May 29. PubMed 28556393 ↗
  • Herman RM, Berho M, Murawski M, Nowakowski M, Rys J, Schwarz T, Wojtysiak D, Wexner SD. Defining the histopathological changes induced by nonablative radiofrequency treatment of faecal incontinence--a blinded assessment in an animal model. Colorectal Dis. 2015 May;17(5):433-40. doi: 10.1111/codi.12874. PubMed 25524045 ↗
  • Sodre DSM, Sodre PRS, Brasil C, Teles A, Doria M, Cafe LE, Lordelo P. New concept for treating urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy with radiofrequency: phase 1 clinical trial. Lasers Med Sci. 2019 Dec;34(9):1865-1871. doi: 10.1007/s10103-019-02784-7. Epub 2019 Apr 15. PubMed 30989457 ↗
  • Caruth JC. Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Radiofrequency Device for Vaginal Treatment. Surg Technol Int. 2018 Jun 1;32:145-149. PubMed 29791707 ↗
  • Kang D, Han J, Neuberger MM, Moy ML, Wallace SA, Alonso-Coello P, Dahm P. Transurethral radiofrequency collagen denaturation for the treatment of women with urinary incontinence. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Mar 18;2015(3):CD010217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010217.pub2. PubMed 25785555 ↗
  • Lordelo P, Vilas Boas A, Sodre D, Lemos A, Tozetto S, Brasil C. New concept for treating female stress urinary incontinence with radiofrequency. Int Braz J Urol. 2017 Sep-Oct;43(5):896-902. doi: 10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2016.0621. PubMed 28727373 ↗
  • Imamura M, Abrams P, Bain C, Buckley B, Cardozo L, Cody J, Cook J, Eustice S, Glazener C, Grant A, Hay-Smith J, Hislop J, Jenkinson D, Kilonzo M, Nabi G, N'Dow J, Pickard R, Ternent L, Wallace S, Wardle J, Zhu S, Vale L. Systematic review and economic modelling of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of non-surgical treatments for women with stress urinary incontinence. Health Technol Assess. 2010 Aug;14(40):1-188, iii-iv. doi: 10.3310/hta14400. PubMed 20738930 ↗
  • Radziminska A, Straczynska A, Weber-Rajek M, Styczynska H, Strojek K, Piekorz Z. The impact of pelvic floor muscle training on the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence: a systematic literature review. Clin Interv Aging. 2018 May 17;13:957-965. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S160057. eCollection 2018. PubMed 29844662 ↗
  • Soave I, Scarani S, Mallozzi M, Nobili F, Marci R, Caserta D. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and after childbirth and its effect on urinary system and supportive structures assessed by objective measurement techniques. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2019 Mar;299(3):609-623. doi: 10.1007/s00404-018-5036-6. Epub 2019 Jan 16. PubMed 30649605 ↗
  • Dumoulin C, Cacciari LP, Hay-Smith EJC. Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment, or inactive control treatments, for urinary incontinence in women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Oct 4;10(10):CD005654. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD005654.pub4. PubMed 30288727 ↗
  • Dumoulin C, Hay-Smith J, Frawley H, McClurg D, Alewijnse D, Bo K, Burgio K, Chen SY, Chiarelli P, Dean S, Hagen S, Herbert J, Mahfooza A, Mair F, Stark D, Van Kampen M; International Continence Society. 2014 consensus statement on improving pelvic floor muscle training adherence: International Continence Society 2011 State-of-the-Science Seminar. Neurourol Urodyn. 2015 Sep;34(7):600-5. doi: 10.1002/nau.22796. Epub 2015 May 21. PubMed 25998603 ↗
  • Sigurdardottir T, Steingrimsdottir T, Geirsson RT, Halldorsson TI, Aspelund T, Bo K. Can postpartum pelvic floor muscle training reduce urinary and anal incontinence?: An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Mar;222(3):247.e1-247.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2019.09.011. Epub 2019 Sep 14. PubMed 31526791 ↗
  • Garcia-Sanchez E, Avila-Gandia V, Lopez-Roman J, Martinez-Rodriguez A, Rubio-Arias JA. What Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Load is Optimal in Minimizing Urine Loss in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Nov 8;16(22):4358. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16224358. PubMed 31717291 ↗
  • Hirakawa T, Suzuki S, Kato K, Gotoh M, Yoshikawa Y. Randomized controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle training with or without biofeedback for urinary incontinence. Int Urogynecol J. 2013 Aug;24(8):1347-54. doi: 10.1007/s00192-012-2012-8. Epub 2013 Jan 11. PubMed 23306768 ↗
  • Smith AL, Wein AJ. Urinary incontinence: pharmacotherapy options. Ann Med. 2011;43(6):461-76. doi: 10.3109/07853890.2011.564203. Epub 2011 Jun 3. PubMed 21639723 ↗
  • Tsakiris P, Oelke M, Michel MC. Drug-induced urinary incontinence. Drugs Aging. 2008;25(7):541-9. doi: 10.2165/00002512-200825070-00001. PubMed 18582143 ↗
  • Giarenis I, Cardozo L. Managing urinary incontinence: what works? Climacteric. 2014 Dec;17 Suppl 2:26-33. doi: 10.3109/13697137.2014.947256. Epub 2014 Sep 6. PubMed 25196507 ↗
  • Ben Ami N, Dar G. What is the most effective verbal instruction for correctly contracting the pelvic floor muscles? Neurourol Urodyn. 2018 Nov;37(8):2904-2910. doi: 10.1002/nau.23810. Epub 2018 Aug 28. PubMed 30152550 ↗
  • Messelink B, Benson T, Berghmans B, Bo K, Corcos J, Fowler C, Laycock J, Lim PH, van Lunsen R, a Nijeholt GL, Pemberton J, Wang A, Watier A, Van Kerrebroeck P. Standardization of terminology of pelvic floor muscle function and dysfunction: report from the pelvic floor clinical assessment group of the International Continence Society. Neurourol Urodyn. 2005;24(4):374-80. doi: 10.1002/nau.20144. No abstract available. PubMed 15977259 ↗
  • Leibaschoff G, Izasa PG, Cardona JL, Miklos JR, Moore RD. Transcutaneous Temperature Controlled Radiofrequency (TTCRF) for the Treatment of Menopausal Vaginal/Genitourinary Symptoms. Surg Technol Int. 2016 Oct 26;29:149-159. PubMed 27608749 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 23, 2023, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05702567
Lead sponsor
José Casaña Granell
Collaborators
University of Alcalá. Physiotherapy in Women's Health (FPSM) Research Group.
Responsible party
José Casaña Granell (Director, Head of the Department of Physiotherapy (University of Valencia), Clinical Professor., University of Valencia) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Jan 27, 2023
Start date
Jan 9, 2023
Primary completion
Jul 27, 2023
Completion
Jul 27, 2023
Last update
Aug 23, 2023

Study contacts

Yasmin Er Rabiai Boudallaa, Phd Student
principal investigator · University of Valencia (Spain)

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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