Department of Surgery

Division of Colorectal Surgery

Conditions We Treat

Fecal Incontinence

What is Fecal Incontinence?

Fecal incontinence is marked by the lack of control over one’s bowel movements. When the urge is felt, the person cannot “hold it” until he/she gets to a toilet. Stool may also leak randomly from the rectum. This condition can affect people of all ages, but it is more common in older adults than younger, and more common in women than in men. It is sometimes related to the stress of childbirth in younger mothers. Fecal incontinence is not a normal part of aging.

Fecal incontinence can result from a variety of circumstances:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Damage to muscles or nerves of the anal sphincter
• Loss of rectal storage capacity
• Nerve damage in the rectum
• Pelvic floor dysfunction

Treatment for Fecal Incontinence

Treatments include dietary changes, medication, bowel training, and/or surgery. Because normal and healthy continence involves a continuous chain of events, more than one treatment could be necessary to re-establish full control.