LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING FOR FECAL INCONTINENCE

PURPOSE: Biofeedback therapy in fecal incontinence has been reported t o improve continence in more than 70 percent of patients, but most stu dies have followed patients for less than two years. METHODS: Patients treated by biofeedback training between 1985 and 1986 were given a qu estionnaire in 1991, as were incontinent patients who had not entered this treatment program. All were asked for the occurrence, frequency, and severity of incontinence events in the past two weeks. Anamnestic and anorectal manometry data from the initial visit were also compared . RESULTS: Eighteen of 24 treated patients and 40 of 71 untreated pati ents responded. Of those treated by biofeedback, 78 percent reported e pisodes of fecal incontinence as compared with 77.5 percent of those n ot treated by biofeedback. Severity of incontinence, however, was sign ificantly less (P < 0.02) in the treatment group (mean number of event s, 0.2/day) than in those without treatment (1/day). In biofeedback-tr eated patients, it was identical with the frequency and severity repor ted immediately after therapy. No differences were found with respect to initial clinical data and anorectal manometry between both groups. CONCLUSION: Biofeedback training improves continence in patients not o nly during treatment and within the first two years but also for sever al years after therapy.