Postanal Repair Research Articles

Deoti surgical flap and sphincteroplasty for treatment of severe perineal deformity

PurposeAnal incontinence is a very stigmatizing condition, which affects biopsychosocially the patient. It is a neglected, but quite common complication of obstetric and anorectal surgery, however it has treatment options. None of the treatment options have exceptional efficacy rates and still associated with risk of recurrence. The surgery techniques known are: anterior and posterior shortening procedure; post-anal repair; anterior elevator plasty and external sphincter plication; total pelvic floor repair and sphincter repair. None of them use a flap rotation of adipose tissue. The purpose is to propose a new surgery technique of anal sphincteroplasty, which uses flap rotation, for severe perineal deformity associated with anal incontinence. MethodsPatient with severe perineal deformity and anal incontinence treated with a new surgery technique of sphincteroplasty with flap rotation. ResultsThe severe perineal deformity was corrected with both esthetic and functional results. Anal continence measured by Wexner and Jorge assessment in a follow-up period of 2 years after the intervention. Pictures and video show esthetic and functional aspects. ConclusionThis is the first time that a flap rotation is used to treat a severe perineal deformity. And the technique presented promising outcomes, which allows perineum reconstruction that is similar to the original anatomy. Therefore, this technique is justified to better evaluate its efficiency and the impact on patients’ prognosis.

Delorme's Procedure for Complete Rectal Prolapse: A Study of Recurrence Patterns in the Long Term.

Introduction. The objective of this study was to determine the recurrence rate and associated risk factors of full-thickness rectal prolapse in the long term after Delorme's procedure. Patients and Methods. The study involved adult patients with rectal prolapse treated with Delorme's surgery between 2000 and 2012 and followed up prospectively in an outpatient unit. We assessed epidemiological data, Wexner constipation and incontinence score, recurrence patterns, and risk factors. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate studies and follow-up was performed according to Kaplan-Meier technique. The primary outcome was recurrence. Results. A total of 42 patients, where 71.4% (n = 30) were women, with a median age of 76 years (IQR 66 to 86), underwent Delorme's surgery. The median follow-up was 85 months (IQR 28 to 132). There was no mortality, and morbidity was 9.5%. Recurrence occurred in five patients (12%) within 14 months after surgery. Actuarial recurrence at five years was 9.9%. According to the univariate analysis, constipation and concomitant pelvic floor repair were the only factors found to be associated with recurrence. Multivariate analysis showed no statistically significant differences among variables studied. Kaplan-Meier estimate revealed that constipation was associated with a higher risk of recurrence (log-rank test, p = 0.006). Conclusions. Delorme's procedure is a safe technique with an actuarial recurrence at five years of 9.9%. The outcomes obtained in this study support the performance of concomitant postanal repair and levatorplasty to reduce recurrences. Also, severe constipation is associated with a higher recurrence rate.

Surgery for faecal incontinence in adults.

Faecal incontinence is a debilitating problem with significant medical, social and economic implications. Treatment options include conservative, non-operative interventions (for example pelvic floor muscle training, biofeedback, drugs) and surgical procedures. A surgical procedure may be aimed at correcting an obvious mechanical defect, or augmenting a functionally deficient but structurally intact sphincter complex. To assess the effects of surgical techniques for the treatment of faecal incontinence in adults who do not have rectal prolapse. Our aim was firstly to compare surgical management with non-surgical management and secondly, to compare the various surgical techniques. Electronic searches of the Cochrane Incontinence Group Specialised Register (searched 6 March 2013), the Cochrane Colorectal Cancer Group Specialised Register (searched 6 March 2013), CENTRAL (2013, issue 1) and EMBASE (1 January 1998 to 6 March 2013) were undertaken. The British Journal of Surgery (1 January 1995 to 6 March 2013), Colorectal Diseases (1 January 2000 to 6 March 2013) and the Diseases of the Colon and Rectum (1 January 1995 to 6 March 2013) were specifically handsearched. The proceedings of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland annual meetings held from 1999 to 2012 were perused. Reference lists of all relevant articles were searched for further trials. All randomised or quasi-randomised trials of surgery in the management of adult faecal incontinence (other than surgery for rectal prolapse). Three review authors independently selected studies from the literature, assessed the methodological quality of eligible trials and extracted data. The three primary outcome measures were change or deterioration in incontinence, failure to achieve full continence, and the presence of faecal urgency. Nine trials were included with a total sample size of 264 participants. Two trials included a group managed non-surgically. One trial compared levatorplasty with anal plug electrostimulation and one compared an artificial bowel sphincter with best supportive care. The artificial bowel sphincter resulted in significant improvements in at least one primary outcome but the numbers were small. The other trial showed no difference in the primary outcome measures.Seven trials compared different surgical interventions. These included anterior levatorplasty versus postanal repair, anterior levatorplasty versus total pelvic floor repair, total pelvic floor versus postanal repair, end to end versus overlap sphincter repair, overlap repair with or without a defunctioning stoma or with or without biofeedback, and total pelvic floor repair versus repair plus internal sphincter plication and neosphincter formation versus total pelvic floor repair. Sacral nerve stimulation and injectables are considered in separate Cochrane reviews. Only one comparison had more than one trial (total pelvic floor versus postanal repair, 44 participants) and no trial showed any difference in primary outcome measures. The review is striking for the lack of high quality randomised controlled trials on faecal incontinence surgery that have been carried out in the last 10 years. Those trials that have been carried out have focused on sacral neuromodulation and injectable bulking agents, both reported in separate reviews. The continued small number of relevant trials identified together with their small sample sizes and other methodological weaknesses limit the usefulness of this review for guiding practice. It was impossible to identify or refute clinically important differences between the alternative surgical procedures. Larger rigorous trials are still needed. However, it should be recognised that the optimal treatment regime may be a complex combination of various surgical and non-surgical therapies.

Comparative study between Delorme operation with or without postanal repair and levateroplasty in treatment of complete rectal prolapse

BackgroundRectal prolapse is a distressing and socially disabling condition. controversy exists regarding the preferred surgical technique for the treatment of complete rectal prolapse. ObjectiveWe compared Delorme operation alone or with postanal repair and levatroplasty in treating complete rectal prolapse. MethodsConsecutive patients treated for rectal prolapse at our colorectal unit were evaluated for inclusion. Participants were randomly allocated to receive Delorme operation only (GI), or Delorme operation with postanal repair and levatorplasty (GII). Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was recurrence rate; secondary outcomes included improvement of constipation, incontinence, operative time, anal manometery and postoperative complications. ResultsEighty-two consecutive patients with rectal prolapse were randomized. There was a significant difference between the two groups with longer operative time in group II. Recurrence rate after one year was (14.28% in GI, and 2.43% in GII, respectively (P = 0.043). Constipation improved in group I & II but there was a significant difference in constipation scores postoperatively between the two groups. There was improvement in continence mechanism in both groups postoperatively but being higher in group II and this produce a significant statistical difference (0.004). Mean satisfaction score was significantly higher in group II than group I. Both groups succeed to produce a significant change in resting and squeeze pressure before & after the operation. ConclusionsDelorme operation seems to be an effective procedure for treating complete rectal prolapse especially if combined with postanal repair and levatorplasty. Clinical trial registrationNCT01656369.

Complete Rectal Prolapse in Adults: Clinical and Functional Results of Delorme Procedure Combined with Postanal Repair

This study has been performed at the Department of General Surgery, Zagazig University Hospital and King Saud Hospital, Oniza, KSAduring the period from November 1998 to September 2008.Twentyadult patients (6 males and 14 females with a mean age of 55years) with complete rectal prolapse were eligible for the study, Where Delorme's procedure and postanal repairwere combined. All patients presented with complete rectal prolapse at least 5cm in length. The associated disorders included constipation (4 patients, 20%), variable degrees of incontinence (15 patients, 75%). Only one patient had no associated functional problems. The median follow up period was 65months. There was no mortality and immediate postoperative complications developed in 4 patients (20%). Recurrence of the prolapse occurred in two patient. Eleven patients (73.3%) (11/17) with faecal incontinence showed postoperative improvement and 4 patients failed to improve. The 4 patients presented with constipation were all improved postoperatively. We conclude that the combination of Delorme's procedure and postanal repair in the treatment of complete rectal prolapse in adults is a safe procedure that corrects the anatomical defects and improves the functional outcome. We recommend use of this method in the treatment of complete rectal prolapse especially in the elderly who are complaining of faecal incontinence.

Short‐ and long‐term results of secondary anterior sphincteroplasty in 33 patients with obstetric injury

To study short- and long-term improvement in obstetric anal incontinence after secondary overlapping sphincteroplasty and repeat repairs. A prospective analysis based on incontinence scores and patient satisfaction. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, a tertiary unit also dealing with sphincter repair. Of 40 obstetric patients operated consecutively from February 1996 to April 2004, 33 (83%) patients with median age of 36 years were eligible for evaluation. Wexner's and St. Mark's incontinence score, clinical examination, anal ultrasonography and manometry, and neurophysiological examination when indicated. Patient satisfaction to treatment was recorded. The patients had anterior overlapping sphincteroplasty. Five had repeat operations, four sphincteroplasty and two post-anal repair. Anal incontinence, patient satisfaction. The 33 patients were examined after median 7 (range 2-62) months and 103 (62-162) months. Median incontinence scores preoperatively and after short- and long-term follow-up were 12 (5-20), 7 (5-20) (p < 0.01) and 9 (0-18) (p < 0.05), respectively. Three patients (9%) had normalized anal incontinence (score ≤1) after short- and long-term follow-up. Corresponding numbers for improved anal incontinence were 22 (67%) and 16 (49%), respectively. Improvement in incontinence scores and patients' satisfaction were concordant. Symptom duration (n = 7), pudendal neuropathy (n = 6), repeat repair (n = 5) and instrument delivery (n = 3) were associated with adverse outcome. Improvement in anal incontinence at short-term follow-up is attenuated at long-term follow-up. Stoma formation, sacral nerve stimulation and neo-sphincter formation must be considered in compliant patients.

Postanal repair – do the long‐term results justify the procedure?

Early outcomes after postanal repair (PAR) demonstrated excellent results but subsequent reports showed an ever declining success rate in maintaining continence. The aim of this study was to document long-term continence after PAR and relate this to patient satisfaction and quality of life. Patients with neurogenic incontinence who underwent PAR from 1986 to 2002 were interviewed by telephone, utilizing a questionnaire which assessed continence, patient satisfaction, overall improvement, and quality of life. One-hundred one patients from four surgeons were identified. Fifty-four patients were excluded because of loss to follow-up. Three had a stoma (two for incontinence), four had undergone a graciloplasty, leaving 57 patients (F = 53), mean duration of follow-up of 9.1 years (2.2-18.7 years). Mean CCS was 11.7 (SD 7.4). 26% (n = 15) scored none to minimal incontinence (CCS 0-5), 26% moderate (CCS 6-12), and 48% (n = 27) severe incontinence (CCS 13-24). 79% (n = 45) were satisfied with the outcome. A low CCS significantly correlated with good patient satisfaction, and was influenced by high QOL score (P < 0.0001). A high CCS significantly correlated with high bowel frequency (P = 0.0007). A favourable CCS was associated with a good QOL, a shorter duration of follow-up, and being able to distinguish flatus and stool. In patients with neurogenic faecal incontinence selected following anorectal physiology studies, PAR remains a useful treatment. It is associated with low morbidity and results in a satisfactory long-term subjective outcome, despite the fact that many patients have a high incontinence score.

Results of Traditional Surgical Treatment for Fecal Incontinence

The most common surgical treatment for fecal incontinence is sphincteroplasty, but this treatment option requires a localized anatomic sphincter injury and outcomes vary and tend to deteriorate with time. Other surgical techniques have therefore been developed. Postanal repair was designed to restore the anorectal angle with muscle plication of the posterior aspect of the anal canal. Initial improvement rates are acceptable, but only a small proportion of patients reports complete alleviation of symptoms and outcomes deteriorate with time. Suboptimal long-term outcome has lead to decreased use of the procedure. Electrostimulation of a transposed gracilis muscle around the anal canal can yield excellent results in selected patients. Complication rates are high when performed in nonspecialist centers, and the technique is currently not approved in the USA. Artificial bowel sphincter can restore acceptable anal continence and is used for treatment of end-stage fecal incontinence. A problematic high incidence of infection and erosion problems has been reported in some studies, which can hopefully be improved with a more stringent sterile protocol and centralization of the procedure to select specialist centers.

Long-Term Outcome of Altemeier's Procedure for Rectal Prolapse

Altemeier's procedure is infrequently applied in European countries and because of the small number of patients treated in each center, its long-term reliability is uncertain. Medical records of 93 patients (median age, 77 years) undergoing perineal rectosigmoidectomy associated with levatorplasty in 72 patients (78 percent) were reviewed; 65 patients (70 percent) suffered from major fecal incontinence. There was no postoperative mortality. Eight (8.6 percent) major complications were observed (3 pelvic hematomas, 1 anastomotic dehiscence, 1 sigmoid perforation, 1 pararectal abscess, and 2 late anal strictures), and 13 (14 percent) minor complications. At a mean follow-up of 41 (range, 12-112) months the complete recurrence rate was 18 percent (17 patients); these patients were treated with a repeat Altemeier's procedure (6 patients), Delorme's operation (1 patient), Wells' rectopexy (1 patient), postanal repair (1 patient), anal bulking agents (2 patients), and sacral nerve stimulation (2 patients). Anal manometry significantly improved postoperatively. Incontinence improved postoperatively in 30 cases (28 percent), deteriorated in 2 patients, while 4 patients developed minor incontinence. Perineal rectosigmoidectomy for rectal prolapse is a relatively safe and effective treatment, in particular, for frail, older patients, with a low postoperative morbidity, but the recurrence rate is not negligible and restoration of continence is unpredictable.

Diagnostik und Therapie der Stuhlinkontinenz

Incontinence may have different causes. First it is necessary to diagnose any underlying muscular defects. Neurologic lesions and coordinative disturbances should also be excluded. A great variety of methods are available for treatment. In fact conservative therapy alone will very often be successful. In all traumatic lesions of the sphincter muscle, surgical reconstruction is the method of choice if the defect is not too large. In cases of extensive sphincter destruction, an artificial anorectal sphincter implant or dynamic graciloplasty may be options. In all cases with no or only small muscular defects, sacral nerve stimulation should be offered to the patient. Plicating techniques such as pre- or postanal repair have lost their therapeutic attractiveness at present. Therefore in any case of incontinence, the correctly structured stoma still has a place. To date it is not possible to confirm how much new methods such as bulking agents may contribute to the treatment of incontinence.

Therapie anorektaler Erkrankungen

HAEMORRHOIDAL DISEASE: Stage orientated treatment of haemorrhoidal disease using conservative and operative measures provides high healing rates with low complication- and recurrence rates. ANAL FISSURE: Muscle relaxing ointments (Nitrates, Ca-channel-blocker) are the treatment of choice for chronic anal fissure. In cases of insufficiency fissurectomy provides high healing rates. ABSCESS AND ANAL FISTULA: Anal fistulae are treated with respect of their involvement of the anal sphincters. Distal fistulae are completely excised reaching high healing rates, proximal fistulae are treated using local flap procedures with healing rates reaching 50 to 80%. ANAL INCONTINENCE: Treatment of anal incontinence is depending on the severity and on the etiology of the disease. The following procedures are used: conservative: improving consistency, physical exercises, electrostimulation Biofeedback-Training surgical: Sphincterreconstruction, Pre-anal Repair, Post-anal Repair, Total Pelvic Floor Repair, Dynamic Graciloplasty, Artificial Anal Sphincter, Sacralnervestimulation, Stoma

Stress, Urge, and Mixed Types of Partial Fecal Incontinence: Pathogenesis, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment

The authors investigated the hypothesis that partial fecal incontinence (PFI) had variable manifestations that can be categorized as different types of PFI with different pathogeneses and treatment. Anal and rectal pressures as well as external and internal anal sphincter electromyographic activity were recorded in 163 patients with PFI and in 25 healthy volunteers. Patients were treated with biofeedback or surgically. Three types of PFI were encountered: stress fecal incontinence (SFI; 55 patients), urge fecal incontinence (UFI; 72 patients), and mixed fecal incontinence (MFI; 36 patients). Anal pressure decreased in three groups in which MFI had the lowest pressure. A significant reduction in external anal sphincter electromyographic activity occurred in SFI, in internal anal sphincter electromyographic activity in UFI, and of both sphincters in MFI. Biofeedback cured 36 of 55 patients and postanal repair cured 10 of 19 patients with SFI. Forty-eight of 72 patients with UFI responded to biofeedback and 16 of 24 responded to internal anal sphincter repair. Biofeedback failed in MFI patients. Twenty-four of 27 patients who consented to operative correction of the sphincteric defect were cured. Three types of PFI could be identified: SFI, UFI, and MFI. Each type has its own etiology and symptoms, and requires individual treatment. Biofeedback succeeded in treating the majority of SFI and UFI patients. Surgical correction of the anal sphincter was performed after biofeedback failure.

Bilateral gluteus maximus transposition for anal incontinence.

Seven patients (five women and two men) with anal incontinence in whom previous surgery had failed, were treated by bilateral gluteus maximus transposition. All patients were incontinent to solid stool. Previous surgery was postanal repair in four women and secondary overlapping suture for obstetric tear in one. The two men were treated in childhood for anal atresia. No covering stoma was used. Wound infection occurred in three patients, requiring surgical drainage in two. After follow-up of more than 1 year three patients experienced improved continence but in four continence was unchanged. Anorectal physiology studies showed moderately increased resting and squeeze pressures in patients who were improved by the operation, but none could retain more than 200 ml of viscous fluid instilled into the rectum. No change in rectal sensitivity or volume tolerance was found. This preliminary series does not indicate that better results are obtained by gluteus maximus transposition than by unstimulated graciloplasty.

Clinical assessment and anorectal manometry before postanal repair: Failure to predict outcome

It has been suggested that preoperative measurement of resting anal canal pressure and internal sphincter function can be used to identify those patients with neurogenic faecal incontinence who are unlikely to benefit from the operation of postanal repair. We have therefore analysed the results of the operation in 62 patients (six men and 56 women, mean age 59 years, range 30-83 years) and related clinical outcome to preoperative assessment of: resting anal canal pressure, the presence of gape and a combination of gape and low resting pressure. None of these factors was found to predict a poor result after postanal repair.

Management of faecal incontinence and results of surgical treatment.

Ninety-five patients have been referred for the assessment and treatment of faecal incontinence. Incontinence was associated with previous anal trauma in 49 cases: 13 occurred after vaginal delivery, 32 were associated with anal operations and in 4 severe perineal trauma occurred after road accidents. Other causes were: idiopathic incontinence in 18, persistent incontinence despite successful rectopexy for prolapse in 10, diabetic neuropathy in 5 and in 13 the cause was not identified. Conservative treatment by control of diarrhoea, physiotherapy or electrical therapy was often successful in patients with minor incontinence. Fifty-six patients have been treated surgically. Complete continence was achieved in 67 per cent of patients treated by postanal repair and in 61 per cent by sphincter reconstruction. We believe that postanal repair is the treatment of choice for idiopathic incontinence and incontinence after rectopexy or anal dilatation. Sphincter repair should only be performed with a covering colostomy and is the treatment of choice for recent or long standing division of the external sphincter ring.

Effect of postanal repair on progress of neurogenic damage to the pelvic floor

Physiological evaluation of the anorectum and pelvic floor muscles was carried out in 18 patients before and 9-35 months after postanal repair for anorectal incontinence. Thirteen patients (72 per cent) were improved, but in these patients the fibre density in the external anal sphincter muscle and the pudendal nerve terminal motor latency were both increased after surgery. In the five patients not improved after surgery only a few unstable motor unit potentials could be recorded in the external anal sphincter muscle. In two of these patients the pudendal nerve terminal motor latency could not be recorded after surgery. We suggest that this progression in the neurogenic damage to the pelvic floor muscles after postanal repair may be caused by the operation, and that it may be responsible for the poor functional outcome noted in some patients.

Critical assessment of the quality of continence after postanal repair for faecal incontinence.

One hundred and twenty-four patients had a postanal repair for the treatment of faecal incontinence between January 1976 and July 1987. One hundred and sixteen of these patients have been followed up for more than 1 year with a median follow-up of 5 years. Incontinence was improved in 81 per cent of patients. Furthermore, bowel frequency fell: 58 per cent had more than four bowel movements before operation compared with 19 per cent after operation. However, 60 per cent of patients still claimed urgency, 76 per cent still leaked faeces and 52 per cent continued to wear pads after the operation. Maximum resting anal pressure and maximum squeeze pressure did not change significantly after operation either in patients whose bowel control was improved or in those who were not. The results indicate that the quality of continence after postanal repair is poor.

Results from pouch salvage.

Over an 11-year period, 17 salvage procedures were performed on a failed ileal pouch-anal anastomosis carried out for ulcerative colitis from a series of 157 patients. Ten pouches were saved, four excised and three defunctioned. Salvage procedures included five operations for fistulas (three of five successful), six reoperations on the ileoanal anastomosis (five of six successful), three new pouches after previous pouch excision (all failed), and three miscellaneous: excision of an efferent limb (successful), pouchpexy for a pouch prolapse (successful) and postanal repair for incontinence (failed). Pouch salvage may be successful in the motivated patient who wishes to avoid a permanent ileostomy.

Anterior sphincter plication and levatorplasty in the treatment of faecal incontinence

The surgical treatment of faecal incontinence has been traditionally divided into sphincteroplasty for sphincter disruption and postanal repair for idiopathic cases. However, many studies have failed to show a correlation between outcome and change in the anorectal angle. This study was carried out to determine the effectiveness of anterior sphincteroplasty and levatorplasty in the treatment of faecal incontinence, regardless of aetiology. Thirty consecutive patients underwent surgery, 14 with traumatic sphincter injuries and 16 with idiopathic faecal incontinence. A satisfactory clinical result was obtained in ten (71 per cent) patients in the traumatic group and in ten (62 per cent) in the idiopathic group. This was associated with a significant increase in maximum voluntary contraction pressure in the traumatic group and in those patients who had a good result in the idiopathic group (traumatic: preoperative median 80 cmH2O (range 50-115 cmH2O) versus postoperative 115 cmH2O (75-290 cmH2O), P less than 0.005; idiopathic: preoperative 105 cmH2O (45-190 cmH2O) versus postoperative 120 cmH2O (45-230 cmH2O), P less than 0.05; Wilcoxon paired signed ranks test). There was also significant improvement in anal sensation in the upper anal canal in both groups (traumatic: preoperative mean 17 mA versus postoperative 11 mA, P less than 0.05; idiopathic: preoperative 24 mA versus postoperative 9 mA, P less than 0.02). The anorectal angle increased in the idiopathic group at rest (preoperative median 105 degrees (range 86-152 degrees) versus postoperative 118 degrees (95-180 degrees), P less than 0.05). In conclusion, the type of approach (anterior or posterior) and the anorectal angle are irrelevant to the outcome of surgery for idiopathic faecal incontinence. Success appears to be related more to improved sphincter pressure and anal sensation.

Results of postanal repair: a retrospective study.

Results of postanal repair: a retrospective study.