Background: Sacral nerve stimulation fails in 30% to 50% of patients, the outcome that remains largely unreported.
Objective: We report on the management and outcome of this cohort of patients.
Design and interventions: Ninety-one patients (88 females) with fecal incontinence, median age 63 years (range, 37-81), were candidates for sacral nerve stimulation. The follow-up protocol comprised incontinence and quality-of-life scores.
Main outcome measures: Failure was defined on an intention-to-treat basis: after the test (<50% decrease of fecal incontinence episodes) or after permanent implantation (Wexner score >8). Subsequent management and functional results were recorded.
Results: The mean Wexner score for the cohort decreased from 14.3 at baseline to 7.6 after a median follow-up of 31 months (range, 11-69). Sixty-one (67.0%) patients were implanted with a permanent pacemaker; 36 (39.6%) achieved success (group 1). Failure after permanent implantation occurred in 25 (27.5%) patients after a mean of 34.5 months (group 2). Failure after the test occurred in 30 (33.0%) patients, 12 of whom underwent further surgery (group 3) (including stoma, 2; anal reconstruction, 9; and rectopexy, 1), whereas the remainder chose conservative treatment (group 4). At the end of follow-up, group 1 had significantly lower Wexner scores compared with the rest (P < .0001) and superior Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life scores compared with groups 2 and 4 (P < .0001). Group 3 achieved a greater reduction in Wexner scores compared with groups 2 and 4 (P = .04), although the improvement in Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life scores did not reach statistical significance.
Limitations: This was a nonrandomized study with retrospective stratification of patients.
Conclusions: On an intention-to-treat basis, success can be achieved in up to 40% of patients undergoing sacral nerve stimulation. In those in whom sacral nerve stimulation fails, further surgical treatment can yield favorable results in adequately motivated patients.