[Anal plug in fecal incontinence]

There is evidence that a considerable number of the adult population, most of them women (30-72 years), are suffering from faecal incontinence. Treatment is either conservative sphincter reconstruction or stoma when no other treatment is successful. As an alternative to stoma, the Conveen anal plug was tested in seven women not suitable for surgery. Three patients had substantially improved social life. One of these patients used the plug daily, the other two at specific occasions. The main advantages were that they did not have to use a pad and they were not bothered by inconvenient smell and sound. Four patients did not tolerate the plug because of urge to defecate and general inconvenience having the plug in the anal canal. The study confirms that the incontinence anal plug is a useful alternative to stoma in selected cases.