A sacral nerve stimulator is a small device usually implanted in the buttocks of people who have problems with bladder and/or bowel control.

[3] Patients should be counseled on diet modification, exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, targeted injections and medications that could help improve their incontinence.

[5] Once patients have failed conservative management they can elect for a trial placement of the sacral nerve stimulator.

[3] If the patient fails management with the sacral nerve stimulator there are addition methods that can be employed.

A 2007 review by the Cochrane Collaboration was cautiously optimistic about the results of sacral nerve stimulation in fecal incontinence, although it also concluded that trial periods of stimulation did not adequately identify patients that would benefit from the procedure, and that more longer-term studies were needed.