Fecal Incontinence

Fecal Incontinence

Fecal incontinence is the inability to control your bowel movements or the accidental leakage of stool. It is most often caused by weakness or damage to the pelvic floor muscles that control the bowels. 

The disorder is often a source of stress and can cause a diminished quality of life for the many individuals who suffer from this pelvic floor condition. At Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown, pelvic floor dysfunction specialists provide patients with several treatment options that can improve and help manage fecal incontinence for the long term.

Causes of Fecal Incontinence

Some of the more common conditions that contribute to the development of fecal incontinence include:

• Damage or injury to the anal sphincter muscles (the ring of muscles that keep the anus closed) sometimes caused by pregnancy, childbirth, or surgery
• Constipation
• Chronic diarrhea
• Rectal prolapse
• Diseases of the nervous system (e.g., Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis) and/or spinal cord injury and stroke
• Advanced age
• Other pelvic floor disorders, including urinary incontinence

Fecal incontinence is also commonly associated with advanced age, women with other pelvic floor disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. While this condition affects both men and women, it occurs more frequently in women. The stress and pressure of childbirth on the pelvic floor may not evidence itself until decades later when the anal sphincter muscles weaken with aging.

Symptoms of Fecal Incontinence

The most common symptoms of fecal incontinence include leakage of stool when passing gas or even a frequent and strong urge to have a bowel movement, often at inconvenient times. Individuals may also suffer from chronic diarrhea, which can contribute to the leakage of stool.

Treatments

For patients living with fecal incontinence, pelvic floor surgeons at Holy Cross Hospital in Silve Spring and Holy Cross Hospital in Germantown perform minimally invasive surgical procedures for the treatment of fecal incontinence:

Sacral Nerve Stimulation

Sacral nerve stimulation entails the implantation of a small pacemaker-like device under the skin through a small incision in the lower back. Electrodes from the device send pulses to the sacral nerves to help regulate bowel function.

Overlapping Sphincteroplasty

When the anal sphincter is damaged during childbirth, surgery, or other trauma, sphincteroplasty is the surgical technique performed to repair these muscles. Anal sphincter muscles keep stool in the rectum and when they are damaged, stool is allowed to leak out. This procedure entails reattaching the damaged portions of the sphincter to restore the shape and strength of this ring of muscles that supports the anus. 

For more information about the Pelvic Floor Program at Holy Cross Health, please call 301-754-8800.