[Significance of conservative treatment for faecal incontinence]

Based on a variety of aetiological factors and combined disorders in faecal incontinence, a conservative treatment option as the primary treatment can be recommended. Conservative treatment includes medical therapy influencing stool consistency and stool passage, pelvic floor exercises and biofeedback as well as local treatment options. However, defining the role of conservative treatment concepts related to success or failure remains a challenging task. The lack of evidence derived from studies is related to a variety of reasons including inclusion criteria, patient selection, treatment standardisation, and the principal difficulty to objectively define functional success.