Implantation of artificial sphincter for anal incontinence. Report of five cases

The implantation of an artificial anal sphincter in five patients with anal incontinence of neuromuscular origin is described. The prosthesis, an AMS 800 artificial urinary sphincter (American Medical Systems), worked well with solid or semisolid stool, but less satisfactorily when diarrhea was present. Manometric and defecographic studies seem to indicate that the effect of the prosthesis may be ascribed partly to maintenance of an acute anorectal angle even during straining.