Abstract
Faecal incontinence is a far more common problem than is generally appreciated and it is not confined just to elderly people. The prevalence rate among individuals aged above 15 years has been reported to be 4.3 per 1000 population, 1 but this figure is likely to be a considerable underestimate. Incontinence is not a subject that patients and doctors are comfortable discussing, so it receives little media exposure. Hence, there is ignorance about the considerable progress that has been made in the understanding of anorectal physiology, which has paved the way for improvements in therapy. Since a colostomy is still commonly perceived to be the only procedure available for this distressing disorder, only a small proportion of patients are referred to appropriate specialist units.
Published Version
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