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Faecal incontinence: Retentive, non-retentive and when to suspect organic pathology
1Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Insights
Pediatric faecal incontinence, often caused by functional constipation, requires understanding of gut-brain disorders and organic conditions. Advances in diagnosis and treatment offer hope for improved quality of life in affected children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Pediatric Urology
Background:
- Faecal incontinence is a common and distressing condition in children.
- It affects children of all ages, impacting their quality of life.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation, and treatment of pediatric faecal incontinence.
- To cover conditions related to disorders of gut-brain interaction and organic diseases.
Main Methods:
- A literature review was conducted on the prevalence, impact, diagnosis, and treatment of pediatric faecal incontinence.
- The review incorporated expert observations on motility disorders in children.
Main Results:
- Functional constipation with overflow incontinence is the most common cause of pediatric faecal incontinence.
- Non-retentive faecal incontinence (NRFI) may be more prevalent than previously recognized and is challenging to treat.
- Organic conditions like anorectal malformations (ARMs), Hirschsprung disease, and spinal defects significantly impact quality of life.
Conclusions:
- Recognizing distinct pathophysiologic mechanisms is crucial for effective treatment.
- Diagnosis often relies on thorough history and physical examination, with imaging and manometry aiding specific cases.
- A range of interventions, including behavioral, medical, and surgical options, can alleviate symptoms and improve daily life for affected children.
Background:
Faecal incontinence is a highly prevalent and very distressing condition that occurs throughout the entire paediatric age.
Aim:
To summarise advances in the understanding of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation and treatment of children with faecal incontinence due to either disorders of gut-brain interaction or organic diseases.
Methods:
Literature review on prevalence, impact, diagnosis and treatment options for children with faecal incontinence, interspersed with observations from the author's lifelong career focused on evaluation of children with motility disorders.
Results:
Faecal incontinence in children is most commonly due to unrecognised or insufficiently treated functional constipation with overflow incontinence. Non-retentive faecal incontinence (NRFI) is probably more common than previously thought and is particularly challenging to treat. Organic diseases such as anorectal malformations (ARMs), Hirschsprung disease and spinal defects are often associated with faecal incontinence; in these conditions, faecal incontinence has a profound impact on quality of life. Recognition of the different pathophysiologic mechanisms causing the incontinence is essential for a successful treatment plan. A thorough physical examination and history is all that is needed in the diagnosis of the causes of faecal incontinence related to disorders of gut-brain interaction. Colonic transit studies or x-rays may help to differentiate retentive from NRFI. Manometry tests are helpful in determining the mechanisms underlying the incontinence in children operated on for ARMs or Hirschsprung diseases. Multiple behavioural, medical and surgical interventions are available to lessen the severity of faecal incontinence and its impact on the daily life of affected individuals.
Conclusions:
Recent advances offer hope for children with faecal incontinence.
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