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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffFecal incontinence is the inability to control your bowel movements, causing stool (feces) to leak unexpectedly from your rectum. Also called bowel incontinence, fecal incontinence ranges from an occasional leakage of stool while passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control in someone who is older than 4 years old.
Common causes of fecal incontinence include constipation, diarrhea, and muscle or nerve damage. Fecal incontinence may be due to a weakened anal sphincter associated with aging or to damage to the nerves and muscles of the rectum and anus from giving birth.
Whatever the cause, fecal incontinence can be embarrassing. But don't shy away from talking to your doctor. Treatments are available that can improve, if not correct, fecal incontinence.
- Robson K, et al. Fecal incontinence in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- Bartolo DC, et al. Anal incontinence. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology. 2009;23:505.
- Fecal incontinence. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/fecalincontinence/fecalincontinence.pdf. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- McQuaid KR. Gastrointestinal disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6395. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- Hannaway CD, et al. Fecal incontinence. Obstetric and Gynecologic Clinics of North America. 2008;35:249.
- Mellgren A. Fecal incontinence. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2010;90:185.
- Wald A. Fecal incontinence in adults. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:1648.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 23, 2010.
- Picco MF (expert opinion) Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. June 23, 2010.
- Tjandra JJ, et al. Injectable silicone biomaterial for fecal incontinence caused by internal anal sphincter dysfunction is effective. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. 2004;47:2138.
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