title: [Assessment of anal incontinence in adults].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anal incontinence is involuntary loss of stool and flatus through the anal canal. The condition can be severely debilitating to those affected.
  
  
  METHODS
  The article is based on relevant literature and the authors' clinical experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first examination should include an anorectoscopy as part of a broader clinical examination, and the aim should be to find the cause and describe the condition. An assessment in hospital should comprise endoanal ultrasound for imaging and grading of the incontinence severity with a score system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Simple preliminary investigations and eventually more specialized investigations in a specialist clinic give a good impression of the condition, and is the basis for choosing treatment and later evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Avdeling for gastroenterologisk kirurgi Universitetssykehuset Nord-Norge 9016 Tromsø. trond.dehli@unn.no
authors.forename: Trond
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dehli
authors.forename: Stig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Norderval
authors.forename: Rolv-Ole
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Lindsetmo
authors.forename: Barthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D019841:Defecography; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry; D011351:Proctoscopy; D014463:Ultrasonography