title: Sacral nerve stimulation in the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increasing life expectancy will increase the number of elderly patients with faecal incontinence. The study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) in patients over the age of 65 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged over 65 years, who underwent temporary SNS from 1996 for faecal incontinence unresponsive to conservative treatment, were followed prospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between January 1996 and December 2009, 30 patients [mean age 69.3 years (SD, 3.4)] underwent temporary SNS. Twenty-three (77%) had a >50% improvement in the St Mark's Continence Score and progressed to permanent SNS implantation. Their mean (±SD) score increased from 19 (3.2) at baseline to 8 (3.4) during temporary SNS and to 9 (3.4) 3 months after permanent SNS and 10 (3.7) at the latest median follow up (IQR) of 44 (20-150) months. The corresponding values at the same intervals for urgency [mean (±SD) min] were 1 (1.4), 8 (5.2), 8 (5) and 8 (5.4) and for incontinence episodes per 2 weeks [median (±IQR)] were 10 (7-14), 1 (0-5), 2 (0-5) and 0 (0-6).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SNS is an effective treatment for faecal incontinence in patients over 65 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, St Mark's Hospital, Harrow, London, UK.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalmar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vaizey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001003:Anal Canal / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric