Assessment of complex sphincteric defects in patients with fecal incontinence by digital rectal examination and intraoperative dissection can be difficult in the presence of excessive scarring. Adjunctive investigation such as endoluminal ultrasound (ELUS) and needle electromyography (EMG) may provide objective evidence of the nature and extent of the sphincteric defects. In a series of 11 patients, ELUS of the anal canal with a 10-MHz transducer (focal zone of 1-4 cm) accurately detected defects in the external anal sphincter (EAS) in seven of seven patients, defects in the internal anal sphincter (IAS) in eight of eight patients, and integrity of both sphincters in two patients. These findings were confirmed by needle EMG of the EAS alone in five patients, by operative findings at a perineal sphincteroplasty operation in six patients, and by both in two patients. ELUS was associated with less pain than was needle EMG (pain score 4vs.10, 10 being most painful) and provided high-resolution radial images of both the EAS and the IAS. Thus, ELUS seems preferable to EMG in mapping anal sphincteric defects and can be a useful anatomic adjunct to physiologic studies of anorectal function in patients with fecal incontinence.
Restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) has become an established surgery for patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatous polyposis.The authors report the results of an 11-year experience of restorative proctocolectomy and IPAA at a tertiary referral center.Chart review was performed for 1005 patients undergoing IPAA from 1983 through 1993. Preoperative histopathologic diagnoses were ulcerative colitis (n = 858), familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 62), indeterminate colitis (n = 75), and miscellaneous (n = 10). Information was obtained regarding patient demographics, type and duration of diseases, previous operations, and indications for surgery. Data were collected on surgical procedure and postoperative pathologic diagnosis. Early (within 30 days after surgery) and late complications were noted. Follow-up included an annual function and quality-of-life questionnaire, physical examination, and biopsies of the pouch and anal transitional zone.Of the 1005 patients (455 women), postoperative histopathologic diagnoses were as follows: ulcerative colitis (n = 812), familial adenomatous polyposis (n = 62), indeterminate colitis (n = 54), Crohn's disease (n = 67), and miscellaneous (n = 10). During a mean follow-up time of 35 months (range 1-125 months), histopathologic diagnoses were changed for 25 patients. The overall mortality rate was 1% (n = 10 patients, early = 4, late = 6); one death (0.1%) was related to pouch necrosis and sepsis. The overall morbidity rate was 62.7% (1218 complications in 630 patients; early, n = 27.5%; late, n = 50.5%). Septic complication and reoperation rates were 6.8% and 24%, respectively. The ileal pouch was removed in 34 patients (3.4%), and it is nonfunctional in 11 (1%). Functional results and quality of life were good to excellent in 93% of the patients with complete data (n = 645) and are similar for patients with ulcerative colitis, familial adenomatous polyposis, indeterminate colitis, and Crohn's disease. Patients who underwent operations from 1983 through 1988 have similar functional results and quality of life compared with patients who underwent operations after 1988.Restorative proctocolectomy with an IPAA is a safe procedure, with low mortality and major morbidity rates. Although total morbidity rate is appreciable, functional results generally are good and patient satisfaction is high.
Dyschezia occurs in patients with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. There are limited data on the mechanisms of this condition. We hypothesized that paradoxical contractions may contribute to dyschezia in those patients with mechanical or inflammatory pouch conditions. This study was aimed to evaluate the underlying manometric abnormalities in this population.In this retrospective analysis, we screened our Pouchitis Registry for patients with dyschezia and underlying inflammatory bowel disease. Patients having undergone anopouch manometry were considered eligible and included. Patients without inflammatory or structural diseases of the pouch (the functional pouch disorder [FPD] group) were compared with those with inflammatory or structural diseases (the inflammatory/structural pouch disorder [ISPD] group). Demographic, clinical, manometric, and laboratory variables were analyzed.A total of 45 patients were included; of which, 21 (46.7%) were female. The median age of patients in the FPD group (n = 10) and ISPD group (n = 35) were 41 (interquartile range =32.5-56) years and 40 (interquartile range = 28-49) years, respectively (P = 0.469). There were no differences in the demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables between the 2 groups, with the exception of the modified Pouch Disease Activity Index. For manometric evaluations, paradoxical contractions and failure of balloon expulsion occurred in 50.0% and 60.0%, respectively, of the FPD group and in 17.1% and 20.0%, respectively, of the ISPD group (P = 0.048 and 0.043, respectively).In this cohort, manometric evaluation demonstrated that paradoxical contractions occurred more frequently in patients with FPD than in those with inflammatory/structural conditions. This suggests that the underlying physiologic mechanisms of dyschezia in these patients differ.
