American and Canadian researchers are conducting a study that could bring an end to millions of men and women across the globe suffering from incontinence.

For the past 2 years researchers from the University of Toronto, William Hospital in Michigan and now from the Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, are experimenting with a new technique that implants the patients own stem cell into the bladder muscle to prevent urinary incontinence episodes.

The stem cells are harvested from a muscle in the tight, these cells are then reproduced in a lab and then injected into the bladder muscle, where they will regenerate and repair the damaged muscle.

Urologists believe the procedure eventually could be used to repair other damaged muscles in the body.

Dr. Melissa Kaufman, assistant professor of urologic surgery at the Vanderbilt University said:

"This is an enormous public health problem that has been put in the shadow for so long. It is a delicate issue and it has been thought of as a normal part of aging, but it can be treated."

It is to early to jump into conclusions but early results are proving to be very promising and Dr. Michael Chancellor from the Beaumont Hospital in Toronto, started researching this procedure about 10 years ago and stated that 2/3 of the patients saw an improvement greater than 50% and he estimates that another 3 more years will be needed before the FDS approves the procedure.