GRACILIS MUSCLE TRANSPOSITION IN THE TREATMENT OF FECAL INCONTINENCE

Between 1965 and 1994 eight selected patients with faecal incontinence for solid stool (Grade 4) were operated on by the original procedure described by Pickrell (1952), combined with biofeedback training posto peratively. No postoperative complication occurred. All patients were improved by this procedure. Five had normal continence and there were 3 incontinence for flatus. Anal manometry showed an increase in postop erative squeeze pressure (p<0.05). Long term results (48.5 months) rem ained the same in five cases. One patient became incontinent following an anal dilatation at 108 months, and two required excision of mucosa l ectropion at 7 and 78 months with restoration of continence. One pat ient died of unrelated disease at 31 months.