Modern surgical treatment of anal incontinence

New surgical treatment modalities have been developed for patients with anal incontinence resulting from extensive sphincter destruction and in whom standard sphincter repair has failed. These new modalities include the transposition of striated skeletal muscles combined with implantation of neurostimulators, artificial sphincters based on the same principle as artificial urinary sphincters, and direct sacral nerve stimulation. In a few reported series muscle transposition in combination with neurostimulation has given a satisfactory continence in 50-70% of the patients. The same is true for the smaller series published on artificial anal sphincters, whereas the results of sacral nerve stimulation have thus far been reported in only a few patients. The selection of patients and the performance of these procedures should be limited to few specialist centres.