Dr Nick Read

Faecal Incontinence

“Harwich for the continent. Sheffield for the incontinent!” With this slogan tacked to the wall of our laboratory, Mrs Carmel Donnelly, Dr Wei Ming Sun and I devised a comprehensive series of tests of anorectal function and set ourselves up as a specialist centre serving people with faecal incontinence. Our results showed that incontinence could be caused by a variety of malfunctions. Diagnosis of these enabled treatment to be targeted and more effective.

1. Sun, W.M., Read, N.W., Donnelly, T.C. (1989) Impaired internal anal sphincter in a subgroup of patients with idiopathic faecal incontinence. Gastroenterology. 97: 130-5.
2. Sun, W.M., Read, N.W., Miner, P.B., Kerrigan, D.D. Donnelly, T.C. (1990). The role of transient internal sphincter relaxation in faecal incontinence. Int. J. Colon. Dis. 5: 31-36.
3. Sun, W.M., Read, N.W., Miner, P.B (1990). Relation between rectal sensation and anal function in normal subjects and patients with faecal incontinence. Gut 31: P1056-1061.
4. Sun, W.M., Read, N.W. (1990) Occult spinal lesions? A common undetected cause of faecal incontinence. Lancet. Jan 20; 335(8682):166.
5. Miner, P.B., Donnelly, C., Read, N.W. (1990) Investigation of mode of action of biofeedback in treatment of faecal incontinence. Dig. Dis. Sci. 35 (10): 1291-1298.
6. Sun, W.M., Donnelly, T.C., Read, N.W. (1990) Anorectal function in incontinent patients with cerebrospinal disease.
7. Sun, W.M., Donnelly, T.C. and Read, N.W. (1992) Utility of a combined test of anorectal manometry/electromyography and sensation in determining the mechanism of idiopathic faecal incontinence. Gut 33: pp. 807-813.

Gastroenterology 99: 1372-1379.