Fecal incontinence, also known as anal incontinence, is the loss of control over bowel movements. There are different treatments for fecal incontinence that experts in General Surgery recommend.
Sacral root neurostimulation
This technique consists of stimulating the sacral nerves, which control defecation, by means of an electrode similar to a pacemaker. The treatment consists of two phases: a provisional phase and a definitive stimulation phase.
The neurostimulation of sacral roots reduces incontinence episodes by up to 75%. The results are evident from the first week of the test.
Neurostimulation of the posterior tibial nerve
Through the posterior tibial nerve, the sacral plexus is stimulated. The stimulation can be performed by means of a very fine needle through a small puncture or by means of a self-adhesive patch.
The treatment is performed in 20 sessions, which last 30 minutes. No anesthesia is required.
Implantation of biomaterials
This treatment consists of implanting small prostheses in the anal canal to increase anal continence capacity. This surgical technique is not very aggressive and is performed in cases such as gas incontinence or spotting.