Abstract
Introduction
The Renew® Anal Insert is a recent treatment for patients who suffer from passive faecal incontinence (FI). The aim was to assess the effectiveness of the insert and patient satisfaction.
Method
A retrospective audit of patients who were treated with the Renew® Anal Insert was undertaken. The St Mark’s Incontinence Score was used to evaluate clinical outcome. Renew® size, the number of inserts used per day and per week had also been recorded. Subjective assessment of symptoms, how beneficial Renew® was and how satisfied patients were with the device were all recorded. Major events and side effects were also noted.
Results
Thirty patients received Renew® as a treatment for passive incontinence in 2016. The median St Mark’s FI score was 15 (range 7-18) at baseline and 10 (range 2-18) at first follow-up (p=<0.0001) at a median of 11 (range 8-14) weeks. Eleven (37%) patients used the regular size and 19 (63%) used the large size. Patients used an average of 1.67 inserts/day (range 1 – 3), on an average of 3.58 days/week (1 – 7). Three patients reported a deterioration in symptoms, seven (23%) no change and twenty (67%) a significant improvement. Six patients (20%) did not like this device while 24 (80%) liked them. Seventeen patients (57%) wanted to continue this treatment in long-term.
Conclusion
The Renew device seems to be an acceptable and effective therapeutic option for passive FI. Further work is needed to compare it to other treatments and establish its position in the treatment pathway.