ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Management of patients with obstructed defecation syndrome is still controversial. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy of clinical, clinical treatment followed by biofeedback, and surgical treatment in patients with obstructed defecation, rectocele and multiple dysfunctions evaluated with echodefecography. METHODS: The study included 103 females aged 26-84 years with obstructed defecation, grade-II/III rectocele and multiple dysfunctions on echodefecography. Patients were distributed into three treatment groups and constipation scores were assigned. Group I: 34 (33%) patients with significant improvement of symptoms through clinical management only. Group II: 14 (14%) with improvement through clinical treatment plus biofeedback. Group III: 55 (53%) referred to surgery due to treatment failure. RESULTS: Group I: 20 (59%) patients had grade-II rectocele, 14 (41%) grade-III. Obstructed defecation syndrome was associated with intussusception (41%), mucosal prolapse (41%), anismus (29%), enterocele (9%) or 2 dysfunctions (23%). The average constipation score decreased significantly from 11 to 5. Group II: 11 (79%) grade-II rectocele, 3 (21%) grade-III, associated with intussusception (7%), mucosal prolapse (43%), anismus (71%) or 2 dysfunctions (29%). There was significant decrease in constipation score from 13 to 6. Group III: 8 (15%) grade-II rectocele, 47 (85%) grade-III, associated with intussusception (42%), mucosal prolapse (40%) or 2 dysfunctions (32%). The constipation score remained unchanged despite clinical treatment and biofeedback. Twenty-three underwent surgery had a significantly decrease in constipation score from 12 to 4. The remaining 32 (31%) patients which 22 refused surgery, 6 had low anal pressure and 4 had slow transit. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 50% of patients with obstructed defecation, rectocele and multiple dysfunctions presented a satisfactory response to clinical treatment and/or biofeedback. Surgical repair was mainly required in patients with grade-III rectocele whose constipation scores remained high despite all efforts.
Subject(s)
Constipation/therapy , Intussusception/therapy , Pelvic Floor/physiopathology , Rectal Diseases/therapy , Rectocele/therapy , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Constipation/diagnostic imaging , Female , Humans , Intussusception/diagnostic imaging , Middle Aged , Rectal Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Rectocele/diagnostic imaging , Severity of Illness Index , Syndrome , Treatment Outcome , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Management of patients with obstructed defecation syndrome is still controversial. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the efficacy of clinical, clinical treatment followed by biofeedback, and surgical treatment in patients with obstructed defecation, rectocele and multiple dysfunctions evaluated with echodefecography. METHODS: The study included 103 females aged 26-84 years with obstructed defecation, grade-II/III rectocele and multiple dysfunctions on echodefecography. Patients were distributed into three treatment groups and constipation scores were assigned. Group I: 34 (33%) patients with significant improvement of symptoms through clinical management only. Group II: 14 (14%) with improvement through clinical treatment plus biofeedback. Group III: 55 (53%) referred to surgery due to treatment failure. RESULTS: Group I: 20 (59%) patients had grade-II rectocele, 14 (41%) grade-III. Obstructed defecation syndrome was associated with intussusception (41%), mucosal prolapse (41%), anismus (29%), enterocele (9%) or 2 dysfunctions (23%). The average constipation score decreased significantly from 11 to 5. Group II: 11 (79%) grade-II rectocele, 3 (21%) grade-III, associated with intussusception (7%), mucosal prolapse (43%), anismus (71%) or 2 dysfunctions (29%). There was significant decrease in constipation score from 13 to 6. Group III: 8 (15%) grade-II rectocele, 47 (85%) grade-III, associated with intussusception (42%), mucosal prolapse (40%) or 2 dysfunctions (32%). The constipation score remained unchanged despite clinical treatment and biofeedback. Twenty-three underwent surgery had a significantly decrease in constipation score from 12 to 4. The remaining 32 (31%) patients which 22 refused surgery, 6 had low anal pressure and 4 had slow transit. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 50% of patients with obstructed defecation, rectocele and multiple dysfunctions presented a satisfactory response to clinical treatment and/or biofeedback. Surgical repair was mainly required in patients with grade-III rectocele whose constipation scores remained high despite all efforts.
CONTEXTO: O tratamento dos pacientes com evacuação obstruída permanece controverso. OBJETIVO: Analisar a eficácia do tratamento clínico, tratamento clínico seguido por biofeedback e tratamento cirúrgico em pacientes com retocele e disfunções do compartimento posterior do assoalho pélvico avaliados com ultrassom tridimensional dinâmico-ecodefecografia. MÉTODO: O estudo incluiu 103 mulheres, em idade entre 26-84 anos, com diagnóstico de evacuação obstruída, retocele grau II/III e disfunções múltiplas na ecodefecografia. Pacientes foram distribuídos em três grupos e registrados os escores de constipação. Grupo I: 34 (33%) pacientes com melhora significante dos sintomas apenas com tratamento clínico. Grupo II: 14 (14%) com melhora ao tratamento clínico e biofeedback. Grupo III: 55 (53%) encaminhadas para cirurgia, sem resposta ao tratamento clínico. RESULTADOS: Grupo I: 20 (59%) pacientes com retocele grau II, 14 (41%) grau III associada a intussuscepção (41%), prolapso mucoso (41%), anismus (29%), enterocele (9%) ou duas disfunções (23%). O escore de constipação reduziu-se significantemente em média de 11 para 5. Grupo II: 11 (79%) retocele grau II, 3 (21%) grau III, associado a intussuscepção (7%), prolapso mucoso (43%), anismus 71% ou duas disfunções (29%). O escore de constipação reduziu-se com significância estatística em média de 13 para 6. Grupo III: 8 (15%) retocele grau II, 47 (85%) grau III, associado a intussuscepção (42%), prolapso mucoso (40%), ou disfunções (32%). O escore de constipação não se alterou, apesar do tratamento clínico e biofeedback. Vinte e três foram encaminhados para cirurgia resultando em redução significante do escore de constipação de 16 para 4. Dos 32 restantes, 22 optaram por não realizar cirurgia, 6 apresentavam pressões anais reduzidas e 4 com trânsito lento. CONCLUSÃO: Aproximadamente 50% dos pacientes com evacuação obstruída, retocele ou disfunções múltiplas apresentaram resposta satisfatória ao tratamento clínico e/ou ao biofeedback. Tratamento cirúrgico foi necessário principalmente em pacientes com retocele grau III em que o escore permaneceu inalterado apesar do tratamento clínico e biofeedback.
Subject(s)
Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Constipation/therapy , Intussusception/therapy , Pelvic Floor/physiopathology , Rectal Diseases/therapy , Rectocele/therapy , Constipation , Intussusception , Rectal Diseases , Rectocele , Severity of Illness Index , Syndrome , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Surgery for anal fistula is often associated with continence disorders due to the transection of sphincter muscles. Extensive knowledge of anal canal anatomy and anal fistula can help prevent this outcome. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to correlate the anatomical conformation of the anal canal, the fistula track, and the internal opening according to sex and hemicircumference (anterior vs posterior) by use of 3-dimensional ultrasonography. METHODS: One hundred sixty-five patients with fistula were evaluated with 3-dimensional ultrasound and grouped according to sex, fistula type, internal opening, and track position. Fistulas were transsphincteric in 128 subjects and intersphincteric in 37 subjects. The study measured the external and internal anal sphincter, the puborectalis, the distance from the internal opening to the distal edge of the external and internal sphincter, the length of the internal and external sphincter compromised by the track, and the percentage of compromised muscle. RESULTS: The anal canal muscles were longer in males. The distance from the internal opening to the internal sphincter was greater for the posterior hemicircumference. The point where the fistulous track crossed the anterior external sphincter was similar for the 2 sexes, but the percentage of compromised muscle was greater in females. The point where the fistulous track crossed the internal sphincter was similar for the 2 sexes, but the percentage of compromised internal sphincter was greater in males for the posterior hemicircumference. The study was limited by the absence of testing for interobserver and intraobserver agreement. CONCLUSION: The anal canal muscles are longer in males and the pectinate line is asymmetrical. In females, the percentage of compromised external sphincter was greater in the anterior hemicircumference because of the shorter external sphincter, whereas in males the percentage of compromised internal sphincter was greater in the posterior hemicircumference.
