Recent Technological Advances in Monitoring and Neuromodulation of Non-Malignant and Neurogenic Bladder Conditions.

Abstract

Neurogenic bladder and lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunctions encompass a wide variety of urinary disorders resulting from nervous system impairments. Unfortunately, conventional treatments are still limited and can have significant complication rates, especially when stent implantations or other surgical procedures are involved. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop novel therapeutic strategies and pharmacological approaches to address these challenging urological conditions. Recent technological advances offer promising solutions to overcome some of these challenges faced by patients with bladder and LUT dysfunction. This review summarizes recent progress in advanced urotechnologies, focusing on bladder monitoring and neuromodulation approaches, advanced medical instruments and devices, and the latest wireless, battery-free bioelectronic implants for bladder care. These emerging engineered platforms offer the potential for real-time monitoring and improved patient outcomes while minimizing the risks associated with traditional treatments. Outlook and future directions are also discussed, highlighting how technological innovations-enabled by interdisciplinary efforts-can lead to next-generation urotechnologies. These include multimodal closed-loop strategies, artificial intelligence, deep-tissue sensing techniques, and other approaches aimed at addressing a wide variety of complex urological conditions affecting the bladder and beyond.