EVALUATION OF CLINICAL ASPECTS OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING SACRAL NEUROMODULATION FOR FECAL INCONTINENCE: A RETROSPECTIVE...

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Neurology
• Urology

Background:

• Fecal incontinence affects 5%-10% of non-institutionalized individuals, posing a significant socioeconomic burden.
• A substantial number of patients do not respond to conservative management and require advanced therapies.
• Sacral neuromodulation presents a minimally invasive therapeutic option with demonstrated clinical efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the clinical and demographic profiles of patients undergoing sacral neuromodulation in Brazil.
• To evaluate the impact of sacral neuromodulation on fecal incontinence severity and fecal urgency.
• To assess outcomes in Brazilian centers for patients with refractory fecal incontinence.

Main Methods:

• An observational study was conducted on patients with fecal incontinence resistant to conservative treatments.
• Data collected included clinical-demographic variables, prior treatments, surgical details, and Wexner scores pre- and post-implantation.
• Anorectal manometry was performed on all participants, with additional tests based on clinical necessity.

Main Results:

• Eighty-seven patients (82.8% female, mean age 61.22 years) were included, with neurogenic etiology being most common (48.3%).
• The median Wexner score significantly decreased from 16 to 2 post-sacral neuromodulation implantation.
• Fecal urgency frequency reduced from 51.7% to 26.4% following the procedure.

Conclusions:

• Sacral neuromodulation demonstrated clinically significant improvements in fecal incontinence severity and urgency in Brazilian patients.
• The procedure showed a safety profile consistent with existing literature.
• This study supports sacral neuromodulation as an effective intervention for refractory fecal incontinence in the studied population.