MARSHFIELD, Wis. – As nearly 100 million people in the U.S. live with urinary incontinence or another bladder condition, Marshfield Clinic now offers the latest technology to treat urge urinary incontinence.
Incontinence has a greater chance of affecting a person as they age. Left untreated it can lead to health issues, additional costs and burden on caregivers for the elderly or disabled.
Dr. Jason Cruff, a board‑certified urogynecologist, recently completed the first implantation of the Medtronic Altaviva™ system on a patient within Marshfield Clinic. The Altaviva™ implantable tibial nerve stimulation system is a minimally invasive therapy for patients with refractory urgency urinary incontinence who have not found relief with medications or standard treatments.
“Incontinence isn’t something to be ashamed of or to hide; failure to control it can drastically reduce quality of life and lead to other health issues,” Cruff said. “This milestone reflects our commitment to delivering cutting‑edge, evidence‑based innovation and elevating urogynecologic care across our region.”
The device is placed near a patient’s ankle. By delivering gentle, targeted stimulation to the posterior tibial nerve, Altaviva™ helps restore normal communication between the brain and bladder, improving urinary control and reducing symptoms.
“Unlike external stimulation therapies, Altaviva™ is fully implantable and designed to work for up to 15 years,” Cruff said. “It doesn’t require external devices or frequent office visits. For patients, this means long‑lasting symptom relief, fewer medications, and a better quality of life.”
The Food and Drug Administration approved Medtronic’s Altaviva device in September. Dr. Kevin Benson, a urogynecologist at Sanford Health, was lead enroller for the Altaviva device pivotal study, TITAN 2, and senior author on the article published in the Journal of Urology. Marshfield Clinic is a region of Sanford Health.
“The Altaviva device represents a significant advancement for patients with urge urinary incontinence who often weigh the invasiveness of a therapy and the potential adverse effects when considering treatment options,” Benson said. “I’m excited to offer patients this simple experience and believe the Altaviva device has the potential to transform lives and bring new hope to more people.”
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
