Manometric spectrum of fecal incontinence in a tertiary care center in northern India

Background: Since, there is scanty data on manometric spectrum of fecal incontinence (FI) from India, ano-rectal manometry (ARM) parameters of patients with FI attending a tertiary care hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Methods: Data on 140 consecutive patients with FI (age 44.8 + 17.4 y, 89 male) referred for ARM were analyzed and interpreted according to standard criteria. Results: Low resting pressure (mainly due to internal sphincter; <40mmHg) and squeeze pressure (mainly due to external sphincter; <60 mmHg) were found in 88/140 (63%) and 44/140 (31.4%) patients, respectively. Low squeeze pressure indicating external sphincter defect was more commonly found in female than male [23/51 (45.1%) vs. 21/89 (23.6%), p=0.013] though other parameters on ARM were comparable among the two genders. Conclusion: Parameters of ano-rectal functions were abnormal in varying combinations on ARM in a large proportion of patients with FI attending a tertiary care center and females more often had low squeeze pressure indicating external sphincter defect than males though anal resting pressure, length of the high pressure zone and tolerability to intra-rectal balloon distension were comparable.