Fecal incontinence (FI) is a deeply personal and often misunderstood condition. While many providers recognize the challenges their patients face, from loss of independence to skin complications and emotional distress, the reality is that treatment pathways still fall short.

For too long, the standard care trajectory has forced patients to choose between conservative management (think absorbent products, diet changes, and pelvic floor therapy) and invasive interventions like sacral nerve stimulation or surgery.1 But what about the many patients who don’t improve with first-line care… yet aren’t ready, or eligible, for surgical options?

There’s a missing middle in fecal incontinence care. And it’s time we address it.

The Two Sides of FI Treatment

Many providers begin with best-practice conservative management: absorbents, fiber regimens, bowel diaries, or pelvic floor rehabilitation. These are valid and often necessary first steps, but they’re not enough for everyone.

When symptoms persist, escalation often skips ahead to nerve stimulation, injectable bulking agents, barrier creams and rigid schedules, and surgery, including sphincteroplasty or colostomy.

For older adults, postpartum patients, or individuals with comorbidities, this escalation is often too aggressive, not feasible, or not desired.

Patients are left in limbo, stuck between low-efficacy options and high-burden procedures.

Where Some Conservative Care Can Fall SHORT

Despite provider diligence, many patients report:2

  • Continued leakage despite behavioral or dietary changes
  • Embarrassment or discomfort from bulky undergarments
  • Anxiety about accidents in public or at work
  • Limited improvement from pelvic floor therapy
  • Fatigue from managing daily hygiene and skin irritation

These patients are often left without adequate options to meet their ongoing needs.

“I Wish I Had Something In Between”

That’s the sentiment echoed by many clinicians, and now, there is.

StaySure™ is a discreet, patient-managed insert designed to reduce fecal leakage and give patients back control, without jumping straight to surgery.

It fills the treatment gap with a non-surgical option that’s appropriate for home use, clinical settings, or long-term care. It’s a simple solution that supports independence and restores dignity for patients.

Who Benefits from a Middle Path?

A middle-tier solution is not just a convenience, but clinically necessary for:

  • Postpartum patients who need support beyond pelvic floor therapy
  • Older adults who can’t tolerate surgery or advanced interventions
  • Dual incontinence patients who need better skin protection and scheduling control
  • Patients with neurological conditions where bowel control is limited
  • Home health and long-term care providers looking to reduce staff burden and improve outcomes

By offering a tool like StaySure, you’re extending conservative care.

Learn More About StaySure

Why It Matters

Failing to address the gap in care leads to:3

  • Higher caregiver burden
  • Increased costs from absorbent use
  • Skin breakdown and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD)
  • Avoidable ED visits and hospitalizations
  • Premature institutional placement

Clinicians need scalable, manageable solutions, especially as the population ages and care shifts to home and community-based settings.

StaySure™: A Clinically Backed Solution

StaySure™ is FDA 510(k)-cleared and now available in the United States after successful use in Europe (as Navina Insert). It’s:

  • Soft and flexible for easy daily insertion
  • Discreet and comfortable, supporting normal activities like walking, working, or swimming
  • Patient-friendly, requiring no device prep or electricity
  • Evidence-supported, including recent data from Mayo Clinic confirming safety and effectiveness

In real-world use, patients report fewer accidents, improved confidence, and restored quality of life.

See StaySure for Yourself

Making It Part of Your Care Algorithm

If you’re a provider managing fecal incontinence, ask yourself:

  • Have I had patients plateau with conservative care?
  • Am I seeing growing caregiver strain or skin complications?
  • Do I have a go-to option for patients not ready for surgical referral?

StaySure is an additive tool that complements what you’re already doing. For some, it might mean fewer office visits or decreased use of incontinence supplies. For others, it could be the step that prevents an avoidable fall, hospitalization, or long-term care admission.

A Call for Clinical Courage

Introducing a new option can feel like one more thing to explain. But when it means reducing leakage, restoring confidence, and lightening the caregiving load—it’s worth it.

StaySure™ represents more than a device. It’s a shift in mindset toward even more proactive, patient-centered, non-invasive care. If you’re ready to help your patients bridge the gap, StaySure is ready to be part of your toolkit.

Learn more about how StaySure™ supports your patients at www.staysuretoday.com.

References

  1. Mayo Clinic. (2024, November 27). Fecal incontinence - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic. Www.mayoclinic.org. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fecal-incontinence/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351403
  2. Shah, R., & Villanueva Herrero, J. A. (2021). Fecal Incontinence. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459128/
  3. Yu, L., Hao, F., Li, J., Hu, Y., Xiong, F., Chen, L., & Cai, W. (2025). Caregiver insights on challenges and needs in fecal incontinence products: a mixed methods study. Frontiers in Public Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1453244