An innovative non-surgical treatment for stress urinary incontinence has shown promise in a recent three-year clinical trial.

Scientists presented their findings on the Renessa treatment at the annual scientific meeting of the American Urogynaecologic Society and the South Central Section of the American Urological Association in September.

Renessa is a non-surgical treatment that is designed to alleviate stress incontinence - one of the most common types of adult incontinence.

The procedure usually takes less than an hour and patients enjoy a rapid recovery, typically returning to work and resuming usual activities the following day.

During the procedure, a small device is passed through the urethra - the tube leading from the bladder to the genitals - and heat is gently applied to the tissues at the base of the bladder.

This heat treatment causes the collagen in the bladder tissue to become firmer, thereby improving the bladder's ability to resist leakages.

In their clinical trial, scientists at North Shore-LIJ University in Manhasset, New York, found that around 71 per cent of patients who underwent Renessa treatment reported improved quality of life 36 months later.

Dr Harvey Winkler, co-chief of urogynaecology at the university and author of the poster presentation on the therapy, said: "These results confirm that the majority of patients treated with the non-surgical Renessa procedure experience lasting improvements in symptoms and quality of life.

"The procedure also appears to be very safe, as no serious adverse events were reported at any time during the follow-up period."

Scott Cramer, medical president and chief executive officer at Novasys Medical, which developed the Renessa therapy, said that stress urinary incontinence can have a "significant negative impact" on women's quality of life.

He noted that there are safety risks associated with surgical procedures for prolapse and female incontinence, making it more important than ever for women to have safe, effective and less invasive treatment options to help reduce their reliance on incontinence supplies, such as Tena Lady.

"When conservative therapies for stress urinary incontinence such as Kegel exercises fail, Renessa is the logical next step in the treatment pathway before proceeding to a more invasive surgical procedure," he added.