Cathérine T. Kollmann, Elise B. Pretzsch, Andreas Kunz, Christoph Isbert, Katica Krajinovic, Joachim Reibetanz, Mia Kim

• Purpose Sacral nerve stimulation is an effective treatment for patients suffering from fecal incontinence. However, less is knownabout predictors of success before stimulation. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of successful sacral nervestimulation in patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence. Methods Consecutive female patients, receiving peripheral nerve evaluation and sacral nerve stimulation between September2008 and October 2014, suffering from idiopathic fecal incontinence were included in this study.Purpose Sacral nerve stimulation is an effective treatment for patients suffering from fecal incontinence. However, less is knownabout predictors of success before stimulation. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of successful sacral nervestimulation in patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence. Methods Consecutive female patients, receiving peripheral nerve evaluation and sacral nerve stimulation between September2008 and October 2014, suffering from idiopathic fecal incontinence were included in this study. Preoperative patient’scharac-teristics, anal manometry, and defecography results were collected prospectively and investigated by retrospective analysis. Mainoutcome measures were independent predictors of treatment success after sacral nerve stimulation. Results From, all in all, 54 patients suffering from idiopathic fecal incontinence receiving peripheral nerve evaluation, favorableoutcome was achieved in 23 of 30 patients after sacral nerve stimulation (per protocol 76.7%; intention to treat 42.6%). From allanalyzed characteristics, wide anorectal angle at rest in preoperative defecography was the only independent predictor offavorable outcome in multivariate analysis (favorable 134.1 ± 13.9° versus unfavorable 118.6 ± 17.1°). Conclusions Anorectal angle at rest in preoperative defecography might present a predictor of outcome after sacral nervestimulation in patients with idiopathic fecal incontinence.…