Skip to main content

Clinical Assessment of the Incontinent Patient

  • Chapter
Fecal Incontinence

Abstract

Besides physiologic investigations and radiology imaging, diagnosis of fecal incontinence requires accurate clinical assessment. By means of a structured scheme, clinical assessment aims to evaluate the whole picture: whether the patient is really incontinent, the etiology of the incontinence, and the nature and severity of the problem. Nevertheless, we must keep in mind that when treating an individual patient, these data may not be enough to define the pathophysiology of the symptom and, therefore, we need the investigations we mentioned initially.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Leigh RJ, Turnberg LA (1982) Faecal incontinence: the unvoiced symptom. Lancet 1(8285): 1349–1351

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hill J, Corson RJ, Brandon H et al (1994) History and examination in the assessment of patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence. Dis Colon Rectum 37:473–477

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hardcastle JD, Porter NH (1969) Anal continence. In: Morson BC, ed. Diseases of the colon, rectum and anus. Appleton-Century-Crofts New York, p 251

    Google Scholar 

  4. Eckhardt VF, Kanzler G (1993) How reliable is digital examination for the evaluation of anal sphincter tone? Int J Colorectal Dis 8:95–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Smith RG, Lewis S (1990) The relationship between digital rectal examination and abdominal radiographs in elderly patients. Age Ageing 19:142–143

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Norton NJ (2004) The perspective of the patient. Gastroenterology 126:S175–S179

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rao SSC (2004) Diagnosis and management of fecal incontinence. Practice guidelines. Am J Gastroenterol 99:1585–1604

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Browning G, Parks A (1983) Postanal repair for neuropathic faecal incontinence: correlation of clinical results and anal canal pressures. Br J Surg 70:101–104

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Rockwood TH, Church JM, Fleshman JW et al (1999) Patient and surgeon ranking of the severity of symptoms associated with fecal incontinence. The Fecal Incontinence Severity Index. Dis Colon Rectum 42:1525–1532

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Bravo A, Madoff RD, Lovry AC et al (2004) Long-term results of anterior sphincteroplasty. Dis Colon Rectum 47:727–732

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Jorge JMN, Wexner SD (1993) Etiology and management of fecal incontinence. Dis Colon Rectum 36:77–97

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Pescatori M, Anastasio G, Botíni C et al (1992) New grading system and scoring for anal incontinence. Evaluation of 335 patients. Dis Colon Rectum 35:482–487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Vaizey CJ, Carapeti E, Cahill JA, Kamm MA (1999) Prospective comparison of faecal incontinence grading systems. Gut 44:77–80

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Stone AA, Shiffman S, Schwartz JE et al (2002) Patient non-compliance with paper diaries. BMJ 324:1193–1194

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Dobben AC, Terra MP, Deutekom M et al (2005) Diagnostic work-up for faecal incontinence in daily clinical practice in the Netherlands. Neth J Med 63:265–269

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer-Verlag Italia

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Ortiz, H., De Miguel, M., Ciga, M.A. (2007). Clinical Assessment of the Incontinent Patient. In: Ratto, C., Doglietto, G.B., Lowry, A.C., PÃ¥hlman, L., Romano, G. (eds) Fecal Incontinence. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0638-6_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0638-6_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0637-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-0638-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics