Comparative outcome of stapled trans-anal rectal resection and macrogol in the treatment of defecation disorders.

AIM: To prospectively assess the efficacy and safety of stapled trans-anal rectal resection (STARR) compared to standard conservative treatment, and whether preoperative symptoms and findings at defecography and anorectal manometry can predict the outcome of STARR. METHODS: Thirty patients (Female, 28; age: 51 ± 9 years) with rectocele or rectal intussusception, a defecation disorder, and functional constipation were submitted for STARR. Thirty comparable patients (Female, 30; age 53 ± 13 years), who presented with symptoms of rectocele or rectal intussusception and were treated with macrogol, were assessed. Patients were interviewed with a standardized questionnaire at study enrollment and 38 ± 18 mo after the STARR procedure or during macrogol treatment. A responder was defined as an absence of the Rome III diagnostic criteria for functional constipation. Defecography and rectoanal manometry were performed before and after the STARR procedure in 16 and 12 patients, respectively. RESULTS: After STARR, 53% of patients were responders; during conservative treatment, 75% were responders. After STARR, 30% of the patients reported the use of laxatives, 17% had intermittent anal pain, 13% had anal leakage, 13% required digital facilitation, 6% experienced defecatory urgency, 6% experienced fecal incontinence, and 6% required re-intervention. During macrogol therapy, 23% of the patients complained of abdominal bloating and 13% of borborygmi, and 3% required digital facilitation. No preoperative symptom, defecographic, or manometric finding predicted the outcome of STARR. Post-operative defecography showed a statistically significant reduction (P < 0.05) of the rectal diameter and rectocele. The post-operative anorectal manometry showed that anal pressure and rectal sensitivity were not significantly modified, and that rectal compliance was reduced (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: STARR is not better and is less safe than macrogol in the treatment of defecation disorders. It could be considered as an alternative therapy in patients unresponsive to macrogol.

Prevalence of overweightedness in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux.

AIM: To evaluate whether the prevalence of overweight and obese conditions is increased in gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients (with 24-h pathological pH recordings) in comparison to general population. METHODS: A total of 196 consecutive patients (103 females, age range 18-83 years) with symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) and 24-h pathological esophageal pH-metry. Body mass index (BMI) of the patients was calculated and its distribution (%) was compared with that of the Italian general population as assessed by National Bureau of Census (ISTAT). To evaluate the association of GERD with weight categories, the binomial test was employed. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: In males, overweightedness (BMI 25-25.9) was present in 43% of GERD patients vs 41.8% of Italian population (IP) (ns), obesity (BMI > or = 30) in 10.9% vs 9.1% (ns). In females overweight was present in 34.9% of GERD patients vs 25.7% of IP (P < 0.01), obesity in 13.6% of GERD patients vs 9.1% of IP (P < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were noted in different age classes. CONCLUSION: In comparison to the Italian general population, the prevalence of overweightedness and obesity is increased in female but not in male patients with ascertained gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Colorectal motor and sensitivity features in patients affected by ulcerative proctitis with constipation: a radiological and manometric controlled study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Constipation may be present in ulcerative proctitis (UP), but its pathogenesis has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this article is to investigate functional and morphologic features of the anorectal region in patients with UP and constipation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eleven patients with quiescent clinical, endoscopic, and histological UP and constipation and 10 patients with functional constipation (FC) underwent radiologic evaluation of intestinal transit time, anorectal manometry, and defecography. Transit time was measured with radiograms at 72 h after ingestion of radiopaque markers. Manometry was carried out using a continuous perfused catheter and a balloon inflated with increasing volumes of air. Defecography was performed after the injection of a barium-sulfate solution in the rectum, with the registration of videotapes during straining, squeezing, and evacuation. RESULTS: Manometry showed in UP significantly lower values of rectal compliance than those in FC (3.10 and 5 mL/mmHg, respectively) (P = 0.03). Rectal sensitivity threshold was increased but without significant differences in UP and FC (30 and 50 mL air, respectively). At defecography, the median value of rectosacral space was increased in UP in comparison with FC (1.30 vs 0.8; P = 0.002). Lateral rectal diameter in UP was lower than in FC (6 and 8.8 cm, respectively; P = 0.016). Nonsymptomatic rectocele, mucosal prolapse, descending perineum, and abdominopelvic dyssynergy were equally present in UP and FC. The majority of UP patients showed a prolonged intestinal transit time similar to FC patients, and, more frequently, they showed low transit in the left colon in comparison with the right colon in comparison with FC patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that constipation in UP may be correlated with rectal fibrosis, which reduces the transit of stools from the left colon. The concomitance of asymptomatic anorectal organic or functional alteration may contribute to worsen constipation.