• A Hotouras, M A Thaha, D J Boyle, M E Allison, A Currie, C H Knowles, and C L H Chan.
• Academic Surgical Unit, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London, UK. alex007@doctors.org.uk
• Colorectal Dis. 2012 Sep 1; 14 (9): 1101-5.

AimPercutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is increasingly being used as a treatment for faecal incontinence (FI). The evidence for its efficacy is limited to a few studies involving small numbers of patients. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy of PTNS in patients with urge, passive and mixed FI.MethodA prospective cohort of 100 patients with FI was studied. Continence scores were determined before treatment and following 12 sessions of PTNS using a validated questionnaire [Cleveland Clinic Florida (CCF)-FI score]. The deferment time and average number of weekly incontinence episodes before and after 12 sessions of treatment were estimated from a bowel dairy kept by the patient. Quality of life was assessed prior to and on completion of 12 sessions of PTNS using a validated questionnaire [Rockwood Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life (QoL)].ResultsOne hundred patients (88 women) of median age of 57 years were included. Patients with urge FI (n=25) and mixed FI (n=60) demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in the mean CCF-FI score (11.0 ± 4.1 to 8.3 ± 4.8 and 12.8 ± 3.7 to 9.1 ± 4.4) with an associated improvement in the QoL score. This effect was not observed in patients with purely passive FI (n=15).ConclusionThe study demonstrates that PTNS benefits patients with urge and mixed FI, at least in the short term.© 2011 The Authors. Colorectal Disease © 2011 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

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