Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment of refractory interstitial cystitis

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Urogynecology Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Interstitial cystitis is the most therapeutically frustrating condition of the urinary tract. The vast array of treatments available clearly indicates that none is particularly effective. As the majority of patients fail to experience a significant and prolonged response to standard treatments, new options are frequently being developed. These include the oral administration of cimetidine, the intravesical use of hyaluronic acid and BCG, and total cystectomy with the formation of a continent urinary diversion. Unfortunately, the acceptance of many new treatments is based on incomplete evaluation, and this has resulted in a confusing array of disparate alternatives. Effective and durable treatment will not be available until the nature of the disease is better understood and the mechanisms of action of current therapies are elucidated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hunner G. A rare type of bladder ulcer in women: report of cases.Boston Med Soc J 1915;172:660–665

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gillenwater JY, Wein AJ. Summary of the National Institutes of Arthritis, Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases workshop on interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1988;140:160–163

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ratliff TL, Klutke CG, McDougall EM. The etiology of interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:21–30

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ratner V, Slade D, Greene G. Interstitial cystitis. A patient's perspective.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:1–5

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Christmas T, Rode J. Characteristics of mast cells in normal bladder, bacterial cystitis and interstitial cystitisBr J Urol 1991;68:473–477

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Fall M, Johansson S, Vahlne A. A clinicopathological and virological study of interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1985;113:771–773

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dominge GJ, Ghoneim GM, Human L et al. Bacteriology of urinary bladder tissue and urine in interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1996;155:412A.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Silk M. Bladder antibodies in interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1970;103:307–309

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Bade JJ, de Leij L, Joustra EB et al. Specific auto-antibodies in interstitial cystitis patients suggests an autoimmune disease.J Urol 1996;155:431A

    Google Scholar 

  10. Parsons CL, Lilly JD, Stein P. Epithelial dysfunction in nonbacterial cystitis (interstitial cystitis).J Urol 1991;145:732–736

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Nickel JC, Emerson L, Cornish J. The bladder mucous (glycosaminoglycan) layer in interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1993;149:716–718

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Sant GR, Ucci AA, Alroy J. Bladder surface glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1986;135:175A

    Google Scholar 

  13. Nickel JC. Interstitial cystitis: a common cause of painful bladder.Can J Diagn 1995;12:75–86

    Google Scholar 

  14. Ahmed M, Davidson OW. Severe cystitis associated with tiaprofenic acid.Br Med J 1991;303:1376–1379

    Google Scholar 

  15. Hanno PM. Diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:63–66

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Parsons CL, Stein PC, Bidair M et al. Abnormal sensitivity to intravesical potassium in interstitial cystitis and radiation cystitis.Neurourol Urodyn (in press).

  17. Sant GR. Interstitial cystitis.Monog Urol 1991;12:31–35

    Google Scholar 

  18. Dunn M, Ramsden PD, Roberts JBM et al. Interstitial cystitis treated by prolonged bladder distension.Br J Urol 1977;49:641–646

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hanno PM. Amitryptiline in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:89–91

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hanno PM, Wein AJ. Conservative therapy for interstitial cystitis.Semin Urol 1991;9:143–147.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Emtage J, Morales A, Heaton JPW et al. Heparin in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1985;133:168A

    Google Scholar 

  22. Perez-Marrero R, Emerson L, Majarah D et al. Prolongation of response to DMSO by heparin maintenance.Urology (Suppl.) 1993;41:64–66

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Sant GR, LaRock DR. Standard intravesical therapies for interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:73–83

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Parsons CL, Schmidt JD, Pollen JJ. Successful treatment of interstitial cystitis with sodium pentosanpolysulfate.J Urol 1983;130:51–53

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Mulholland SG, Hanno P, Parsons CL et al. Pentosanpolysulfate sodium for therapy of interstitial cystitis: a double-blind placebocontrolled clinical study.Urology 1990;35:552–556

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Parsons CL, Bemson G, Childs SJ et al. A quantitatively controlled method to prospectively study interstitial cystitis and demonstrate the efficacy of pentosanpolysulfate.J Urol 1993;150:845–848

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Perez-Marrero R, Emerson L, Maharah DO et al. Prolongation of response to DMSO by heparin maintenance.Urology 1993;(Suppl)41:64–67

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Theoaris TC. Hydroxyzine in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:113–119

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Stone NN. Nalmefene in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:101–106

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Fleischman J. Calcium channel antagonists in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:107–111

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Seshadri P, Emerson L, Morales A. Cimetidine in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.Urology 1994;44:614–616

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Lewi HJ. Cimetidine in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.Br J Urol 1996;77 (Suppl. 1):28

    Google Scholar 

  33. Morales A, Emerson L, Nickel JC et al. Intravesical hyaluronic acid in the treatment of interstitial cystitis.J Urol 1996;156:45–48

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Weiss C, Balsz E, St Onge R et al. Clinical studies of the intraarticular injection of Healon (sodium hyaluronate) in the treatment of osteoarthritis of human knees.Semin Arth Rheum (Suppl. 1) 1981;11:143–147

    Google Scholar 

  35. Parsons CL. The therapeutic role of sulfated polysaccharides in the urinary bladder.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:93–100

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Morales A, Edinger D, Bruce AW. Intracavitary Bacillus Calmette-Guérin in the treatment of superficial bladder tumors.J Urol 1976:116:18–21

    Google Scholar 

  37. Zeidman EJ, Helfrick B, Pollard C et al. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy for refractory interstitial cystitis.Urology 1994;43:121–124

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Peters K, Gonzalez J, Steinhart B et al. The efficacy of Tice bacillus Calmette-Guérin in the treatment of interstitial cystitis: a double blind, prospective, placebo controlled trial.J Urol 1996;155:441A.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Morales A, Nickel JC, Wilson JWL. Dose-response of bacillus Clamette-Guérin in the treatment of superficial bladder cance.J Urol 1992;147:1256–1259

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Lamm DL, van der Meijen APM, Morales A et al. Incidence and treatment of complications of BCG intravesical therapy in superficial bladder cancer.J Urol 1992;147:596–601

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Fall M, Lindström S. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in classical and non-ulcer interstitial cystitis.Urol Clin North Am 1994;21:131–139

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Shanberg AM, Malloy TR. Treatment of interstitial cystitis with neodymium YAG laser.Urology 1987;29:31–34

    Google Scholar 

  43. Adeyoju AB, Thornhill, J, Lynch T et al. The fate of the defunction bladder following supravesical urinary diversion.Br J Urol 1996;78:80–83

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Christmas TJ, Holmes SAV, Hendry WF. Bladder replacement by ileo-cystoplasty: the final treatment of interstitial cystitis.Br J Urol 1996;78:69–73

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

    A. Morales, L. Emerson & J. C. Nickel

Authors
  1. A. Morales
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Emerson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. C. Nickel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Morales, A., Emerson, L. & Nickel, J.C. Treatment of refractory interstitial cystitis. Int Urogynecol J 7, 215–220 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01907075

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01907075

Keywords

Search

Navigation