Functional urology

Research on urinary incontinence

To improve care for urinary incontinence, our research focuses on the development, testing and optimization of new therapies, such as sacral neuromodulation and neurotoxin treatment, and the development and validation of a therapy outcome prediction model.

Research on urinary retention

To improve care for urinary retention, we are developing and testing a new pacemaker for neuromodulation in close collaboration with Technical University Delft. Furthermore, we are assessing the clinical safety and efficacy of re-usable catheters.

Preclinical laboratory

Our preclinical laboratory is supportive to planned clinical studies by studying the safety and efficacy of new therapies with an emphasis on neuromodulation.

We are an established research center of expertise for urinary incontinence and retention in children and adults.

Recent scientific achievements include:

• Demonstration of clinical efficacy of ProACTTM, which is a minimally invasive continence balloon to treat urinary incontinence.

• Demonstration of:

  • Clinical efficacy of intra-sphincteric botulinum toxin A injections in children with non-neurogenic bladder dysfunction.
  • Long-term efficacy of reconstructive surgery of the lower urinary tract in children.
  • Neurogenic bladder dysfunction in the early phase of paediatric multiple sclerosis.
  • Efficacy of urotherapy in children with non-neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

• Demonstration of clinical efficacy of sacral neuromodulation for urinary incontinence

• Development in collaboration with the Technical University Delft of a prototype high frequency pacemaker for electrostimulation of the sacral nerve.

A complete overview of publications can be found here:

• Bertil Blok
• Jeroen Scheepe

Publications

A prospective, multicenter study of a novel, miniaturized rechargeable sacral neuromodulation system: 12-month results from the RELAX-OAB study.
Blok B, Van Kerrebroeck P, de Wachter S, Ruffion A, Van der Aa F, Jairam R, Perrouin-Verbe MA, Elneil S. (2019). Neurourol Urodyn 2019;38:689-95.

Long-term results of continent catheterizable urinary channels in adults with non-neurogenic or neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction.
Groenendijk IM, van den Hoek J, Blok BFM, Nijman RJM, Scheepe JR. (2019). Scand J Urol 2019;53:145-50.

Long-term follow-up of bladder outlet procedures in children with neurogenic urinary incontinence.
Noordhoff TC, van den Hoek J, Yska MJ, Wolffenbuttel KP, Blok BFM, Scheepe JR. (2019). J Pediatr Urol 2019;15:35.e1-35.e8.

Outcome and complications of adjustable continence therapy (ProACT™) after radical prostatectomy: 10 years' experience in 143 patients.
Noordhoff TC, Scheepe JR, Blok BFM. (2018). Neurourol Urodyn 2018;37:1419-25. 

Maximum Urethral Closure Pressure Increases After Successful Adjustable Continence Therapy (ProACT) for Stress Urinary Incontinence After Radical Prostatectomy.
Reuvers SH, Groen J, Scheepe JR, Blok BFM. (2016). Urology 2016;94:188-92.

Collaboration outside of Erasmus MC

• Technical University Delft

Erasmus MC Efficiency grant - Clinical study on re-usable catheters (B. Blok)

Zorginstituut Nederland Zinnige Zorg Pelvic floor project - study to improve care for women with pelvic floor problems (co-initiator B. Blok)

ZonMw research grant COMPaRE - Single use vs reusable catheters in intermittent CatheterizatiOn for treatment of urinary retention: a Multicenter, Prospective, RandomizEd controlled, non-inferiority trial (B. Blok and J. Scheepe)

Research grants from industry for clinical research studies on neuromodulation devices and prediction modeling for dysfunctional bladder disorders (B. Blok)

Principal Investigators

• Dr. Bert Blok (urologist)
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• Dr. Jeroen Scheepe (paediatric urologist)
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Research team members

• Dr. Els van Asselt (head preclinical laboratory)
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• Dr. Jan Groen (clinical researcher)
• Dr. Alexander Stillebroer (urologist)