OBJECTIVES: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as detrusor instability or urinary retention strongly impacts quality of life, involving economical aspects and social living. The aim of our investigation is to record changes in hospitalizations, Urological, and general practitioner visits before and after sacral nerve stimulation therapy. Expenses for pads, catheters, and drugs are also investigated. METHODS: From February 2000 to September 2002 we enrolled 62 patients in the economic session of the Italian Sacral Nerve Modulation Registry (mean age 50 years old, from 22 to 70). Economic data was recorded in order to compare costs with clinical results of sacral nerve modulation therapy in patients with LUTS. In this group 41 were incontinent patients (61 % female) mean age 53; 21 patients (71 % female) mean age 46 had urinary retention. RESULTS: We performed a quarterly analysis, comparing the baseline data to the last follow up available (12 month). Visits to the general practitioner decreased from 1.1 to 0.05 (p <0.01), visits to the urologist did not change significantly from baseline (1.5 to 1.2). Diagnostic tests decreased from 2 to 0.8 (p <0.01). In the use of pads we observed a major change from 2.1/day (3 months expenses per patient of € 120.96) to 0.5 (3 months expenses per patient of €28.8) (p = 0.08); For urinary retention the use of catheters decreased from 1.1 baseline (3 months expenses per patient of €178.2) to 0.1 at 12 months (3 months expenses per patient of €16.2) (p = 0.09). Drug consumption decreased significantly (p <0.05) from €47.24 to €10.53. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction in daily consumption of pads and catheters (which is the major cost-driver of urinary disorders), but also the reduction of costs due to general practitioner visits, diagnostic tests, and drug consumption are significantly changed.