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Fecal incontinence in adults

Last reviewed: 2 Apr 2025
Last updated: 24 Aug 2023

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • obstetric trauma
  • patulous anus
  • weak squeeze pressure
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • constipation
  • urinary incontinence
  • urgency
  • passive leakage
  • fecal seepage
  • perineal scarring
  • perianal fistulae
  • rectal mass
  • rectal prolapse
  • abnormal perianal sensation
Full details

Risk factors

  • female sex
  • older age
  • nursing home resident
  • forceps delivery
  • third- or fourth-degree perineal laceration
  • episiotomy
  • baby >4 kg or delayed second stage of labor
  • occipitoposterior presentation
  • iatrogenic sphincter injury
  • multiple sclerosis/stroke/pudendal neuropathy/spinal injury
  • infectious diarrhea or inflammatory bowel disease
  • constipation/impaction
  • rectal prolapse
  • third-degree hemorrhoids
  • congenital abnormalities of the anorectum
  • dementia/learning difficulties
  • pelvic radiation therapy
  • diabetes mellitus
  • central neurologic disease
Full details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • examination plus endoscopy
Full details

Tests to consider

  • anorectal manometry
  • endoanal ultrasound
  • endoanal MRI
  • pudendal motor nerve latency test
  • proctography
  • stool culture
  • rectal biopsy
  • CBC
  • CRP
Full details

Emerging tests

  • transvaginal/transperineal ultrasound

Treatment algorithm

INITIAL

symptomatic but cause undetermined

symptomatic with contributing condition

ACUTE

constipation with overflow

spinal cord damage or neurogenic bowel disorder

external sphincter deficiency

internal sphincter dysfunction

intact sphincter complex

ONGOING

severe incontinence refractory to other treatments

Contributors

Authors

Steven Brown, MBChB, BmedSci, FRCS, MD

Consultant Surgeon

Department of Surgery

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

Sheffield

UK

Disclosures

SB is an author of a reference cited in this topic.

Peer reviewers

Andrew Miller, MD

Consultant Colorectal/General Surgeon

Leicester Royal Infirmary

Leicester

UK

Disclosures

AM declares that he has no competing interests.

Steven Wexner, MD, FACS, FRCS, FRCS Ed, FASCRS, FAC

Chief of Staff

Chairman

Department of Colorectal Surgery

Cleveland Clinic

Weston

FL

Disclosures

SW was a member of the Scientific advisory board, has received honoraria, and is a consultant for GlaxoSmithKline.

David Hackam, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor of Surgery

Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

PA

Disclosures

DH declares that he has no competing interests.

References

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Key articles

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Faecal incontinence in adults: management. Jun 2007 [internet publication].Full text

Bordeianou LG​, Thorsen AJ, Keller DS, et al. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons clinical practice guidelines for the management of fecal incontinence. Diseases of the Colon & Rectum. 2023 May;66(5):647-61.Full text

Arasaradnam RP, Brown S, Forbes A, et al. Guidelines for the investigation of chronic diarrhoea in adults: British Society of Gastroenterology, 3rd edition. Gut. 2018 Aug;67(8):1380-99.Full text  Abstract

Thaha MA, Abukar AA, Thin NN, et al. Sacral nerve stimulation for faecal incontinence and constipation in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Aug 24;(8):CD004464.Full text  Abstract

Reference articles

A full list of sources referenced in this topic is available to users with access to all of BMJ Best Practice.
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