1. Biofeedback for Faecal Incontinence and Constipation
By courtesy of
Christine Norton PhD MA RN
Nurse Consultant (Bowel Control) &
Professor of Gastrointestinal Nursing
St Mark’s Hospital & Kings College
London, United Kingdom

2. What is “Biofeedback”? Whatever you want it to be?
Use of equipment to record or amplify biological signals normally unnoticed, to enable the individual to alter function or responses
Huge variety of protocols
1-28 sessions
Daily-monthly
Few described intervention or used controls

3. 3 main modalities for FI
Strength training: feedback of squeeze increment to enhance performance of exercises
EMG (surface or intra-anal) (17 studies)
Pressure (water perfused, solid state, air balloon)
Ultrasound (anal or vaginal) (2 studies)
Increase voluntary squeeze response to rectal distension (co-ordination)
Rectal balloon: decrease threshold of sensation to rectal filling, or increase threshold for urgency
Combinations

4. Systematic review of biofeedback for FI
46 studies identified in adults in English
Total of 1364 patients
49% no incontinence, 72% cured or improved
Only one study showed no improvement
Poor outcome measures, no standard technique (Norton & Kamm, Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2001)
Now (2006) 65+ case series

5. Problems with case series
Publication bias (negative studies not published?)
We all talk to patients (hopefully)
Known effect of intervening per se (placebo response is high in functional gut disorders)
Confounding effect of: time, attention, patient education and understanding, reassurance that symptoms not sinister, advice on diet, titration of medication…etc
Is it biofeedback that is effective??

6. Elements of “Biofeedback”
Nurse / physiotherapist led service
Patient teaching and understanding
Sphincter isolation & exercises (+ home practice)
Strength, endurance, speed of reaction
Behaviour modification - urge resistance +/- balloon distension & co-ordination
Diet, caffeine, lifestyle
Practical coping & medication titration
Emotional support
Which are the important elements?
(Norton & Chelvanayagam, JWOC Nursing, 2001)

7. The large bowel or colon acts as a “waste processor”, receiving semi-liquid stool from the small intestine and gradually re-absorbing fluid, resulting in formed stool.

8. There is continuous mixing and churning of matter in the colon, with occasional “mass movements” when waves of peristalsis propel stool large distances along the colon. Typically these mass movements are triggered by eating or drinking (the “gastro-colic response”) and the large bowel tends to be most active in the morning. This is why minutes after breakfast is the most common time for defaecation. Normal adults taking a Westernised diet pass grams of faeces per day, the amount depending largely upon dietary fibre intake. Normal bowel frequency varies considerably and is probably between three times per day and three times per week in Western societies (Connell et al, 1965), with only 40% of the population of Western countries experiencing the accepted “normal” bowel habit of once per day (Heaton et al. 1992). Once the phase of toilet training is passed, the urge to defaecate is felt once rectal filling passes a threshold volume, but this urge should not be desperately urgent and can easily be resisted until a toilet is found to empty the bowel.
References
Connell,A.M., Hilton,C., Irvine,G., Lennard-Jones,J.E. and Misiewicz,J.J. (1965) Variation in bowel habit in two population samples. British Medical Journal ii,
Heaton,K.W., Radvan,J., Cripps,H., Mountford,R.A., Braddon,F.E.M. and Hughes,A.O. (1992) Defaecation frequency and timing, and stool form in the general population: a prospective study. Gut 33,