Clinical management of patients with faecal incontinence

Abstract

Faecal incontinence is a disabling and distressing condition that affects all age groups. It is more common in women than men, with the highest prevalence being among the elderly. It has been estimated to affect 1-2% of the population over 40 years of age [1, 37, 38]. Faecal incontinence is associated with considerable morbidity, especially in the elderly, but is amenable to successful management. Despite this there is recent evidence to show that basic assessment and care are lacking [21] and could be improved. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.