Anal submucosal carbon bead injection for treatment of idiopathic fecal incontinence: a preliminary report.

Purpose: Submucosal injection of bulking agents is a treatment option for idiopathic fecal incontinence. This study sought to assess whether the injection of carbon beads can significantly improve anal continence.

Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with fecal incontinence were evaluated with standardized incontinence grading and quality-of-life grading scores, by anoproctoscopy, endoanal ultrasound, and anomanometry before, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after injection. Injection therapy was performed in patients with anatomically intact anal sphincters. Patients kept a two-week incontinence diary. Data were obtained from a two-year follow-up period.

Results: Eleven women with a mean age of 66 (range, 56 to 74) years met the inclusion criteria. Mean incontinence score was 12.27 +/- 0.97 at baseline, 6.82+/-1.64 at three-month, 6.73 +/- 1.47 at six-month, 5.91 +/- 0.95 at one-year, and 4.91 +/- 0.87 at two-year follow-up (P = 0.003). Quality-of-life items like coping and embarrassment improved significantly from baseline 2.3 to 3 at three months and 2.8 at six months (P < 0.05). Anomanometry showed a trend toward increase in measured pressures. No major complications occurred.

Conclusions: The injection of carbon beads via an intersphincteric approach is a promising new treatment option for old patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence.