By Urology Partners of North Texas
If you live with Overactive Bladder (OAB) or urge urinary incontinence, you already know how disruptive it can be.
- You plan your day around bathrooms.
- You worry about leaks when you’re away from home.
- You try medications that either don’t work — or come with side effects like dry mouth, constipation, or brain fog.
For years, many patients felt stuck between daily pills and more invasive surgical options.
That’s finally changing.
Urology Partners of North Texas is proud to be one of the first practices in the United States to commercially offer the Medtronic AltaViva™ System, a newly FDA-approved therapy designed to provide durable bladder control with minimal day-to-day maintenance.
AltaViva represents a true middle-ground solution: effective, minimally invasive, and built to last up to 15 years.
“AltaViva offers a long-term option for patients who aren’t getting relief from medications but aren’t ready for more invasive procedures,” says Dr. Keith Xavier, urologist at Urology Partners of North Texas. “It delivers consistent bladder control with a simpler, patient-friendly experience.”
Dr. Xavier is among the first physicians in the United States to commercially perform AltaViva implantation following FDA approval.
What Is AltaViva™ — In Plain Language?
AltaViva is a small implant placed near your ankle that helps calm an overactive bladder.
Your bladder works through a network of nerves connecting it to the brain. In patients with OAB, those signals can misfire — causing sudden urges and leakage, even when the bladder isn’t full.
Here’s the key connection:
The tibial nerve, located near the ankle, shares the same nerve pathways as the bladder.
By gently stimulating this nerve, we can “quiet” abnormal bladder signals and restore more normal bladder control.
AltaViva delivers this therapy automatically throughout the day. The device itself is about half the size of a stick of gum and sits comfortably just beneath the skin.
Why AltaViva Is Different
AltaViva was designed specifically with patient convenience and long-term reliability in mind.
Key advantages include:
- Long-term therapy: Designed to function for up to 15 years
- Minimal maintenance: No daily wearables or frequent recharging
- Minimally invasive: Implanted near the ankle
- Adjustable therapy: Treatment settings can be customized over time
- MRI compatibility: Safe for full-body MRI scans under specific conditions
Once implanted, most patients rarely have to think about it.
A First-of-Its-Kind Milestone for UPNT
At Urology Partners of North Texas, we focus on bringing proven innovation to patients in a thoughtful, responsible way.
As one of the first practices nationwide to offer AltaViva, UPNT has developed a structured program around this therapy — ensuring careful patient selection and expert implantation.
Many patients have already tried:
- OAB medications that failed or caused side effects
- Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), which works but requires frequent office visits
- Treatments that felt either too temporary or too invasive
AltaViva takes the effectiveness of tibial nerve stimulation and makes it continuous, durable, and convenient — without the burden of weekly appointments.
The Procedure: Quick, Simple, and Efficient
AltaViva implantation is a brief outpatient procedure.
- Setting: surgical centers of North Texas or USMD Hospital
- Anesthesia: Local anesthesia only
- Incision: Approximately 2 cm near the ankle
- Procedure time: About 10 minutes
- Activation: Therapy begins immediately
- Recovery: Most patients return to normal activities the same day, and many are able to drive themselves to and from the procedure.
Who Is a Good Candidate?
AltaViva is FDA-approved for patients with Overactive Bladder (OAB) and Urge Urinary Incontinence (UUI).
It is best suited for patients with mild to moderate symptoms — such as urinary leakage occurring daily.
You may be a strong candidate if:
- You’ve tried medications without adequate relief
- Side effects have limited your ability to stay on pills
- Pills are too expensive
- You want a longer-lasting solution than injections
- You prefer to avoid surgical procedures
- You don’t want to manage an external device daily
Patients with more severe symptoms or bowel incontinence or urinary retention may benefit more from other advanced therapies. A consultation helps determine the best approach for your individual needs.
How Does AltaViva Compare to Other Treatments?
AltaViva vs. InterStim™ (Sacral Neuromodulation)
InterStim is a well-established therapy for severe urinary and bowel symptoms but requires leads near the sacral nerves.
AltaViva provides a less invasive alternative for appropriate patients by delivering neuromodulation at the ankle instead.
AltaViva vs. Botox®
Botox injections relax the bladder but wear off every 3–6 months and require repeat treatments. Some patients experience temporary urinary retention or UTIs.
AltaViva is designed as a long-term, one-time implantation without the retention risk associated with Botox.
AltaViva vs. Other Tibial Implants
Some tibial devices have fixed settings or require wearing an external ankle unit daily.
AltaViva is fully internal, programmable, and autonomous, requiring little ongoing effort from the patient.
Clinical Results That Matter
In the pivotal TITAN-2 clinical trial:
- 61% of patients experienced at least a 50% reduction in leaks
- 80% reported overall improvement in bladder symptoms
- Average leakage dropped from five episodes per day to about two
While no therapy guarantees complete elimination of symptoms, AltaViva offers meaningful, sustained improvement for most patients.
Designed for Minimal Maintenance
AltaViva uses advanced battery technology built for long-term use.
- Recharge frequency: Once or twice per year
- Recharge time: About 30 minutes per session
There’s no daily charging, no external equipment, and no lifestyle disruption.
A Team-Based Approach to Advanced Bladder Care
AltaViva is now offered at Urology Partners of North Texas by Dr. Keith Xavier and several of our fellowship-trained specialists in voiding dysfunction and urinary incontinence, following careful patient evaluation.
As one of the earliest adopters of this technology in the country, UPNT provides a collaborative, team-based approach — ensuring patients receive the therapy best suited to their symptoms and goals.
Our mission is simple:
effective, durable relief — without unnecessary complexity.
Take the Next Step
If overactive bladder is controlling your schedule or limiting your confidence, it’s time to explore long-term solutions.
📞 Contact Urology Partners of North Texas today to schedule a consultation and learn whether AltaViva™ is right for you.
Relief doesn’t have to be complicated — and now, it can last.
