Faecal incontinence in adults. 2: Treatment and management

The first article in this two-part series (Vol 5(22): 1366-74) discussed the prevalence, aetiology and investigation of faecal incontinence in adults. The second article summarizes the main treatment options available for faecal incontinence. Surgery is the most widely available intervention, and offers a reasonable chance of success for appropriately selected individuals. Drug therapy is currently limited to constipating agents, which can be very useful for people with internal anal sphincter disruption. The potential role of biofeedback is promising and warrants further research. Management options for people living with faecal incontinence are very limited and there is an urgent need to develop methods which enable the individual to cope with this distressing symptom.