Mother and father enjoying time outside with their daughter

Start the JOURNEY TO RELIEF

Follow these steps to find the right treatment, regain control, and live more fully and confidently.

Refer to technical manual and Instruction for Use (IFU) for complete list of indications, contraindications, warnings and precautions.

Step 1: Diagnosis

"What to try first?"

If experiencing symptoms of bowel control problems, it’s time to meet with a bowel incontinence specialist. A doctor may ask prospective patients to fill out a symptom diary to get a better idea of their daily experience and confirm their diagnosis.

SYMPTOMS OF CHRONIC FECAL INCONTINENCE (FI) INCLUDE:

Frequent bowel accidents
Inability to resist the urge to go
Inability to feel when one needs to go
Planning activities around the bathroom
Monitoring what and how much is eaten
Using pads and protective garments

Step 2: Lifestyle Changes

"What should I try first?"

Conservative treatments can help some people, but may not work very well (or at all) for others. All of these are relatively simple behavioral changes that you may already be doing.

Dietary modification: Changes may include adjusting fiber intake or eliminating troublesome foods.
Bowel retraining: Also called biofeedback, this aims to improve bowel sensation, coordination, and strength.
Medication: Anti-diarrheal medication may provide some relief.

Step 3: Advanced Therapies

"What if conservative treatments don't work?"

If conservative treatments don’t deliver the results one wants, there are more options

MEDTRONIC BOWEL CONTROL THERAPY DELIVERED BY THE INTERSTIM™ SYSTEM

When a prospective patient is ready to try an advanced approach, Medtronic Bowel Control Therapy delivered by the InterStim™ system can help. It targets the nerves that control the bowel to help it function normally again.

Try it during an evaluation
Clinically proven to stop or greatly reduce bowel accidents
Resources and support available

Implanting an InterStim™ system has risks similar to any surgical procedure, including swelling, bruising, bleeding, and infection. Talk with the doctor about ways to minimise these risks. Complications can occur with the evaluation, including movement of the wire, technical problems with the device, and some temporary pain. The doctor or nurse will provide you with the information regarding how to operate the test device, and inform you of other precautions related to the evaluation and activity restrictions.

Find out more