[Sacral nerve stimulation in the treatment of anal incontinence]

Anal incontinence is defined as the loss of control of defecation. An estimated prevalence is about 20%, it increases with age and women are affected more frequently. Sacral nerve stimulation is a new treatment method with success rate nearly of 80%. It consists of two phases, temporary percutaneous nerve evaluation and permanent stimulation. The best results may be achieved in patients with anatomically intact sphincters, although indication criteria are still not uniform. Mechanism of action remains also unclear. Authors summarise aetiology of anal incontinence, describe the method of sacral nerve stimulation, indications and bring present published results of this method. The aim of this paper is to inform about the new treatment option which has not been yet used in the Czech Republic.