Patients cope poorly with fecal incontinence, usually in silence, and often without communicating it to their physician. However, there are several treatment possibilities, although they need to be evaluated by experts in this pathology. In this article, Dr. Castillo Diego, specialist in Colorectal Surgery, talks about this pathology and its treatment.
What are the causes?
The most frequent causes are lesions of the anal sphincters during childbirth or after surgery in the anal region, sometimes associated with diarrhea. In these cases, patients have inadvertent leakage of fecal material, gas or are unable to delay defecation.
What is the diagnosis?
Diagnosis is based on the clinical history and examination of the patient, complemented by other diagnostic tests (ultrasound, manometry, etc.).
What does the treatment consist of?
Treatment includes recommendations for bowel habit modification, dietary fiber supplements, antidiarrheal agents and pelviperineal rehabilitation techniques or posterior tibial nerve stimulation.
Occasionally it is necessary to resort to surgery, performing:
- Repair of damaged sphincters (sphincteroplasty).
- Neuromodulation of sacral roots
- Implantation of filling agents