Fecal Incontinence

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Fecal incontinence may seem to outsiders like an unimportant issue when compared to more life-threatening ailments, but to those who suffer from the condition, it can be life-altering. Near complete loss of normal bowel control can lead many to hole themselves up in their homes in an attempt to avoid the public humiliation that can accompany the condition. But now there’s hope! Dr. John Marks has worked to develop a technique that can rid a patient of the pain and embarrassment of fecal incontinence once and for all. Suzanne sits down with Dr. Marks to discuss the causes of the condition what he can do to help.

What Causes Fecal Incontinence?
The condition emerges when there is significant damage to the sphincter, the muscle that controls normal bowel function. As with all muscles, the sphincter can tend to weaken over time. The cause of such strain could simply be due to old age, but other causes range from serious diseases like rectal cancer and diverticulitis to something as common as natural childbirth. The latter is by far the most common cause of fecal incontinence, as the stress put upon it by pushing during labor can occasionally overwork the muscles in the torso, including the sphincter. Dr. Marks explains that the onset is sudden, and also more frequent than one may imagine. He admits that while there is no way to discern an exact number, there could be several tens of thousands of women afflicted each year. Luckily, fecal incontinence caused in this fashion is typically also the most treatable.

One Woman’s Story
Janet Waychunas’ life was changed dramatically due to fecal incontinence as a result of childbirth. Though she initially took steps to hide the condition, the prospect of living the rest of her life unable to properly control her bowels led her to search for a cure. She found Dr. Marks, world-renowned for his minimally invasive surgery to preserve the sphincter and cure fecal incontinence. With Dr. Marks’ help, Janet was able to continue her normal life unafraid of occasional accidents.

What Are My Options?
In order to preserve the sphincter, Dr. Marks has developed several revolutionary procedures that utilize advances in laparoscopic and endoscopic surgery to ensure a minimal amount of invasive cutting. Both forms of surgery involve the use of specific instruments that allow the surgeon to see inside a small area without drastic and dangerous incisions. Operations such as TATA (Transanal Abdominal Transanal radical protosigmoidectomy with descending coloanal Anastomosis) and TEM (Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery), typically used for those suffering from Colo-rectal cancer, and Sphincter Reconstruction, performed on patients with weakened sphincters from childbirth, are used by Dr. Marks in order to restore a functional bowel system by essentially rebuilding the rectum. Depending on the degree of severity, this can involve making a small incision in the affected area and repairing the weak sphincter (used in sphincter reconstruction), to building an entirely new rectum out of the lower parts of the colon (TATA).