Fecal incontinence (FI) is recurrent uncontrolled passage of fecal material in patients. The life expectancy of humans has increased. Elderly patients have a significant rate of FI. Therefore, the number of patients with FI will increase. For diagnosis of FI, the digital rectal exam, ultrasonography, and anal manometry are used. In addition, the severity of FI can be assessed using the FI score system by examining symptoms. Recent applications include three-dimensional ultrasonography and other novel approaches. The treatments for FI include biofeedback therapy, anal implant, artificial sphincter, nerve modulation, SECCA, stem cell therapy, and surgical intervention. Biofeedback therapy is a noninvasive procedure. Anal implant, stem cell therapy, and SECCA are all minimally invasive treatments. And more methods constitute intrusive treatment. None of these therapies has been conclusively demonstrated to be superior. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, a non-invasive approach or an intrusive treatment is most frequently employed. In this review, I will discuss the diagnosis and treatment options for FI.
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Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) is a condition of anorectal dysfunction that occurs frequently following anal sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer and can reduce the quality of life. In this review, we summarize the main symptoms and pathophysiology of this syndrome and discuss the treatment approaches. Early evaluation and initiation of appropriate treatment postoperatively are crucial. The most frequently used tool to evaluate the severity of LARS is the LARS score, and an anorectal manometer is used for objective evaluation. LARS is believed to be caused by multiple factors, and some of its causes include direct structural damage to the anal sphincter, damage to the innervation, loss of rectoanal inhibitory reflex, and decreased rectal volume and compliance. Diet modifications, medications, pelvic floor muscle training and biofeedback are the primary treatments, and rectal irrigation can be added as a secondary treatment. If LARS symptoms persist even after 1 to 2 years and significantly reduce the quality of life, antegrade irrigation, sacral nerve stimulation or definitive stoma may be considered. High-quality evidence-based studies on LARS treatment are lacking, and randomized controlled trials aimed at developing severity-based treatment algorithms are needed.
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