What is Feacal Incontinence?

Faecal incontinence is a very common condition. It is defined by the inability to control bowel movements, causing stools (faeces) to leak unexpectedly from the rectum. Faecal incontinence can range from an occasional leakage of stool while passing gas to a complete loss of bowel control.
The most common causes of faecal incontinence include diarrhoea, constipation, and muscle (anal sphincter) or nerve damage. This can be a direct consequence of aging or complications from birth delivery. Whatever the cause, faecal incontinence can be very embarrassing. Fortunately, several treatments can improve faecal incontinence and patient quality of life. These often range from several conservative measures, to a few surgical procedures, including sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) or bulking agents (Sphinkeeper).
Mr Leo was awarded with a degree at the Imperial College London on new treatments for faecal incontinence and this is his main area of expertise.