Electrostimulation in fecal incontinence: relevance of the sphincteric compound muscle action potential

Continence scores and anal manometry are commonly used to assess the effect of electrostimulation in fecal incontinence. This study determined the increase of muscular compound potentials in electroneurography of the pudendal nerve after three months of electrostimulation treatment.

Thirty women were tested; their average age was 46.8 (standard deviation, 9.82) years. Electrostimulation was applied twice daily for 15 minutes in each case.

Before treatment, amplitudes were, on average, 0.54 mV (standard deviation, 0.2). After three months of electrostimulation, the amplitudes had increased to 0.84 mV (standard deviation, 0.2). The continence score was improved from 8.73 to 7.1 points.

We believe that by electrostimulation the atrophic muscle can be trained to stabilize the pelvic floor, thus increasing anal pressure and, thereby, creating a basis for adequate voluntary contraction. Electrostimulation is, therefore, especially suitable for functional deficits of the external anal sphincter (insufficient voluntary contractions because of atrophic muscle) without identifiable muscular lesion.