Characteristics Associated With Successful Fitting of a Vaginal Bowel Control System for Fecal Incontinence
Catherine A Matthews1, Madhulika G Varma, Michelle M Takase-Sanchez
1From the *Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC; †Section of Colorectal Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; ‡Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN; §Grand Rapids Women's Health, Grand Rapids, MI; ∥Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, League City, TX; and ¶Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Objectives:
We previously showed that management with a novel vaginal bowel control system was efficacious in women with moderate to severe fecal incontinence. The objective of this secondary analysis was to evaluate the clinical characteristics associated with device-fitting success.
Methods:
This is a secondary analysis of an institutional review board-approved, multicenter, prospective, open-label clinical study of women aged 19 to 75 years with 4 or more episodes of fecal incontinence recorded on a 2-week baseline bowel diary. Those successfully fitted with the vaginal bowel control device entered a 1-month treatment period, and efficacy was assessed with a repeat bowel diary. Demographic data, medical and surgical history, and pelvic examination findings were compared across women with successful and unsuccessful completion of the fitting period. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed.
Results:
Six clinical sites in the United States recruited from August 2012 through October 2013. Overall, 110 women underwent attempted fitting, of which 61 (55.5%) of 110 were successful and entered the treatment portion of the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that previous prolapse surgery (P = 0.007) and shorter vaginal length (P = 0.041) were independently associated with unsuccessful fitting. Women who have not undergone previous prolapse surgery had 4.7 times the odds (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.53-14.53) of a successful fit. In addition, for every additional centimeter of vaginal length, women had 1.49 times the odds (95% CI, 1.02-2.17) of a successful fit.
Conclusions:
Shorter vaginal length and previous prolapse surgery were associated with an increased risk of fitting failure. These findings may be used to inform patients regarding their expectation of successful fitting.
Related Concept Videos
Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Evaluation
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is classified into subtypes based on the predominant bowel habits as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS). The subtypes are:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management
Physiology of the Gastrointestinal System III: Elimination
Irritable Bowel Syndrome I: Introduction
IBS is a chronic condition that can persist over a long period or recur frequently.
The pathogenesis of IBS involves a complex interplay of the following factors:
Altered...
Ostomy Care
An ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening from the intestines to the outside of the body, allowing for the rerouting of effluent. This opening is known as a stoma. A stoma usually protrudes above the skin surface, appearing pink or red, moist, and round, and it lacks nerve sensations.
There are different types of ostomies, including colostomies, ileostomies, and urostomies:


