Kerala Journal of
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Government Medical College, Konni

Dr Asha Mohan MBBS, MD DNB PMR, FIPM,

Assistant Professor, Dept of PMR, Government Medical College, Konni
Email: asha.mohanan777@gmail.com

Asha Mohan. Sacral Neuromodulation: Emerging Technologies and Rehabilitation Implications. KJPMR. 2026;25(2):32-33.

Lower urinary tract and bowel dysfunctions are common causes of disability and reduced quality of life. Although behavioral interventions, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and pharmacotherapy remain first-line treatments, a significant proportion of patients continue to experience persistent symptoms despite adequate conservative management.¹˒² Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) has become an established treatment for refractory overactive bladder (OAB), urgency urinary incontinence, non-obstructive urinary retention, and fecal incontinence.³
Since its introduction in the late 1980s, SNM has evolved from a niche therapy into a sophisticated neuromodulation platform supported by improved device technology and expanding clinical evidence. Modern understanding suggests that SNM exerts its effects primarily through modulation of abnormal afferent signaling within sacral and supraspinal neural pathways involved in continence control rather than through direct stimulation of bladder contraction alone.⁴ Functional neuroimaging studies demonstrating altered cortical and subcortical activity following stimulation further support a role for central neuroplasticity in mediating therapeutic benefit.⁵