botox in the bladder
Botox injection into the bladder is a well-established treatment for overactive bladder and urgency incontinence, including urgency incontinence associated with neurological disease. It has been extensively evaluated in clinical trials for this use, and is highly effective. It is approved for this use by the FDA. This type of treatment does not generally require an overnight stay in the hospital, but involves injection of the Botox into the bladder using a cystoscope. This requires an anesthetic, either general or local anesthesia. Botox injections are repeated every 6 to 12 months. They are generally very safe and well-tolerated, although they can lead to urinary retention, which may require temporary use of a catheter. The most common side effects are urinary tract infections and frequency. Injection of Botox into the bladder has largely replaced previous treatments such as intravesical resiniferatoxin (a much more potent botulinum toxin) and phenol (a toxic chemical), which were us