Obstructed defecation syndrome: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

Obstructed defecation syndrome produces constipation with anal blockage and a feeling of incomplete evacuation, due to either anatomic and functional causes. This is a complex and multifactorial entity due to diverse etiological factors that may coexist in many patients. Therefore, a diagnostic approach requires structural and functional assessment. The concordance between findings of diagnostic tests is suboptimal, thus an individualized analysis is mandatory in each patient. Therapeutic strategies require the best understanding of anatomic and functional aspects. Consequently, this entity is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.