Scottish patients with urinary incontinence can now benefit from a revolutionary new device that can help to relieve the problem.

The device employs a technique called permanent sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) to send electrical pulses to nerves at the base of the spine that control the bladder.

It is the size of a £2 coin and is implanted in the patient's back in order to relieve their incontinence.

By stimulating the sacral nerves, the device is designed to retrain them so that the patient no longer leaks or empties their bladder at the wrong time.

According to an article in the Daily Record, many patients between the ages of 19 and 80 have already benefited from the new technique, which is now offered by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Consultant urologist Graeme Conn told the news provider: "This is proving to be [a] very successful treatment and our patients of all ages are responding well."

The device - which should last for around five years before needing to be replaced - is fitted under a general anaesthetic.

Experts have found that it works well in patients with an overactive bladder, which is characterised by sudden urges that are difficult to ignore.

One of the most common symptoms of an overactive bladder is urge incontinence, where the person experiences a sudden urge to squeeze out urine and is unable to reach the toilet in time.

As a result, many people with an overactive bladder use incontinence supplies, such as Tena Lady, to help them manage their condition effectively.

However, the new device is unlikely to be effective in patients with a different form of incontinence called stress incontinence, in which the patient experiences a sudden loss of urine when they laugh, cough, sneeze, walk, exercise or do heavy lifting.

Figures from the Bladder and Bowel Foundation suggest that some nine million people in the UK are affected by some degree of stress incontinence.