Treatment of Fecal Incontinence After Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries

Fecal incontinence (FI), the involuntary loss of solid or liquid stool, is a stigmatising condition. It can have a distressing impact and restriction on quality of life. Obstetric-related fecal incontinence may occur early after childbirth. Previous obstetric injury is a major cause of fecal incontinence in older women. When conservative treatment fails, surgery may be an option. Both sacral nerve modulation and anal bulking injections is minimal invasive surgical alternatives. Step one in SNM is a trial period of temporary stimulation. If the test is successful, the patient can have an implantable stimulator (step 2). Transanal submucosal bulking injection of collagen is also a possible treatment option and can be an effective treatment for faecal incontinence. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of sacral nerve stimulation to anal bulking injections in women with fecal incontinence after obstetric sphincter injuries (OASIS), through a multicenter blinded, randomized controlled trial.