title: Is an anal plug useful in the treatment of fecal incontinence in children with spina bifida or anal atresia?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the efficacy and tolerance of the Conveen anal plug in children with spina bifida or anal atresia with persistent fecal incontinence necessitating diapers despite bowel management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven 4 to 12-year-old patients with high congenital imperforate anus and 9 who were 6 to 13 years old with spina bifida, no mental retardation and no involuntary urine loss on clean intermittent catheterization were included in the study. During a prospective, 6-week crossover descriptive study after a test period to find the most comfortable plug with a diameter of 37 or 45 mm patients and parents completed a diary with the number of soiling episodes, stool frequency, stool consistency and the number of diapers used during 3 weeks without and with the plug, respectively. They provided a final assessment of the device.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two of the 7 patients with congenital imperforate anus discontinued use because of pain and discomfort, 1 had a decrease in soiling episodes and 4 achieved full continence and needed no diapers while using 2 plugs daily (range 1 to 4). All patients preferred the smaller plug. Two of the 9 patients with spina bifida always lost the plug within 1 hour after introduction, 5 had a decrease in soiling episodes but continued to need diapers and 2 achieved full continence using 2 plugs daily (range 1 to 4). All patients preferred the larger plug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Conveen anal plug is an adjuvant treatment option for fecal incontinence in children with congenital imperforate anus or spina bifida, enabling a minority to stop using diapers. The Conveen anal plug is not a universal solution for fecal incontinence problems in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Gent, Belgium. Myriam.vanwinckel@ugent.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Winckel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Biervliet
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Laecke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoebeke
mesh_terms: D001006:Anus, Imperforate / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011140:Polyurethanes; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000150:complications*; D013630:Tampons, Surgical
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes