Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on artificial anal sphincter implantation in June 2004. In accordance with the Interventional Procedures Programme Process Guide, guidance on procedures with special arrangements are reviewed 3 years after publication and the procedure is reassessed if important new evidence is available.
The guidance was considered for reassessment in June 2007 and it was concluded that NICE will not be updating this guidance at this stage. However, if you believe there is new evidence which should warrant a review of our guidance, please contact us via the email address below.
Description
Artificial anal sphinters are used to treat severe faecal incontinence. A range of other treatments for faecal incontinence are available including medical therapy, biofeedback training and surgery. Surgical treatment options include sphincter repair, sacral nerve stimulation, encirclement procedures, muscle transposition (dynamic graciloplasty), implantation with an artificial anal (bowel) sphincter, or diversion surgery (colostomy).
The cuff is inserted around the upper anal canal and tubing from the cuff is channelled along the perineum and connected to a control pump placed subcutaneously in the scrotum or labia. The control pump is then connected by tubing to a pressure-regulating balloon that has been implanted in the abdominal wall. The balloon holds approximately 40ml of radio-opaque solution and the control pump regulates the transfer of fluid from the balloon to the cuff so that when the cuff is filled with fluid, continence is achieved. By pressing the pump several times, fluid is displaced from the cuff back to the balloon, allowing defaecation. Once defaecation is complete, the fluid slowly returns to the cuff and continence is again achieved.
Coding and clinical classification codes for this guidance.