Functional sphincter ani externus reconstruction for treatment of fecal stress incontinence using free latissimus dorsi muscle transfer with coaptation to the pudendal nerve: preliminary experimental study in dogs.

The external anal sphincter (EAS) is a skeletal muscle capable of voluntary contraction to prevent accidental defecation. Current reconstructive options for a severely damaged EAS using local muscle flaps are not always adequate for functional repair. The present preliminary experimental model was designed to assess the feasibility of a neuromicrovascular latissimus dorsi muscle transfer for functional external spincter muscle reconstruction.