[Sacral nerve stimulation in fecal incontinence; efficacy and safety]

Fecal incontinence is common due to various reasons. Conservative therapy of fecal incontinence may sometimes be effective in improving function, but usually many patients require surgery. Sacral nerve stimulation is another treatment modality which gained interest, and appears to be an alternative method that is successful with low morbidity. With the approval of the local ethical committee a total of 14 patients with rectal incontinence had undergone trial stimulation of sacral neuromodulation after failure of conservative treatment modalities. The implantations were performed under surgical sterile conditions with fluoroscopic guidance through the S3 foramen. After correct placement 0.5-2 V, 15 /min, pulse width 210 micro s stimulus was given. The patients had trial period longer than 6 weeks; 9 of 14 patients responded positively to the trial period. Of these 1 had permanent implantation, 3 were booked for permanent implantation, and 2 of the patients had complete incontinence relief from the trial period. Evaluating the data and the results of our study we may conclude that sacral nerve stimulation is an emerging surgical technique to produce a clinically beneficial physiological effect on the lower bowel, pelvic floor and anal canal.