Sacral nerve stimulation is a proven therapy that has been approved by the FDA recently for the treatment of bowel incontinence. It had been previously available only for bladder incontinence. Most patients with bowel incontinence improve with suggestions and medications provided by our physicians. For some cases, surgery to repair the sphincter muscle can be helpful. In other patients, stimulation of the nerves that control bowel function can result in dramatic improvement in quality of life and decrease the frequency of incontinent episodes.

Patients who qualify for InterStim therapy will have a temporary, external version of the stimulator placed and, if successful, a permanent device will be implanted under the skin in the lower back. This device is similar to pacemakers which are implanted in 600,000 people every year and is associated with few complications.