Management of neurogenic fecal incontinence in myelodysplastic children by a modified continent appendiceal stoma and antegrade colonic enema.

OBJECTIVES

Antegrade colonic enemas for neurogenic fecal incontinence via reverse reimplanted appendices (Mitrofanoff principle) have been primarily reported by Malone and coworkers in 1990. We used a modification of the described surgical technique and treated the first 10 patients with neurogenic fecal incontinence due to spina bifida. The surgical procedure and the results are reported.

METHODS

Since November 1991, we have used a surgical procedure similar to the appendiceal continence mechanism in urinary diversion to establish a continent colonic cutaneous stoma for antegrade enemas in 10 myelodysplastic patients (4 females, 6 males; median age 13.2 years [range 6 to 26]) with severe neurogenic fecal incontinence. The average follow-up is now 26.4 months (range 12.5 to 50). All patients had neurogenic bladder dysfunction successfully managed by clean intermittent catheterization, anticholinergic drugs, or artificial sphincter implantation. The surgical technique for fecal incontinence included the partial orthotopic submucosal imbedding of the appendix into a cecal tenia and the fixation of the ileocecal region at the inner side of the abdominal wall after creation of an appendicocutaneous catheterizable stoma.

RESULTS

All patients reached fecal continence for at least 38 hours (median 45.3) by using antegrade colonic enemas with 1.5% saline solution (n = 9) or GoLYTELY solution (n = 1), 0.5 to 1.5 L every 2 to 3 days. All other therapies (diet, oral medication, rectal purgative, or enema) to reach fecal continence had previously failed. There were only two complications seen at the follow-up. One boy with an artificial urinary sphincter presented with infection of the sphincter system, which led to explantation. Another boy presented 15 months after creation of the colonic appendiceal stoma with saline intoxication possibly due to a homemade saline solution.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the antegrade colonic enema via an orthotopic continent appendiceal stoma is a safe and highly effective treatment modality for fecal incontinence in patients with neurogenic bowel dysfunction if nonsurgical management has failed.