A novel technique to identify patients with megarectum.

PURPOSE: Traditional methods of identifying patients with persistent dilation of the rectum, or megarectum, are associated with inherent methodologic limitations. The purpose of this study was to use a barostat to establish criteria for the diagnosis of megarectum and to assess rectal diameter during isobaric (barostat) and volumetric (barium contrast) distention protocols in constipated patients with megarectum on anorectal manometry. METHODS: During fluoroscopic screening, rectal diameter was measured at minimum distending pressure of the rectum, achieved using a barostat. It was also measured during evacuation proctography (volumetric distention). Having established a normal range in 25 healthy volunteers, 30 constipated patients with evidence of megarectum on anorectal manometry (elevated maximum tolerable volume on latex balloon distention) were studied. A further 10 constipated patients without evidence of megarectum were studied (normal rectum). RESULTS: Megarectum was diagnosed when the rectal diameter was greater than 6.3 cm at minimum distending pressure. Rectal diameter at minimum distending pressure was increased in 20 patients (67 percent) with megarectum on anorectal manometry, but was normal in the remaining 10 patients (33 percent) and all patients with a normal rectum on anorectal manometry. Rectal diameter was increased at evacuation proctography in only 15 patients (50 percent) with evidence of megarectum on anorectal manometry. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of megarectum is overestimated and underestimated when rectal diameter is assessed using anorectal manometry and contrast studies, respectively. Controlled (pressure-based) distention combined with fluoroscopic imaging allowed accurate identification of patients with megarectum on the basis of a rectal diameter greater than 6.3 cm at the minimum distention pressure. Measurement of rectal diameter at minimum distention pressure may be useful in those patients with an elevated maximum tolerable volume on anorectal manometry when surgery is being contemplated.

Multimedia article. External pelvic rectal suspension (the express procedure) for internal rectal prolapse, with or without concomitant rectocele repair: a video demonstration.

PURPOSE: Internal rectal prolapse has been proposed as a cause of symptomatic rectal evacuatory dysfunction. Abdominal rectopexy, the standard surgical approach, has significant attendant risk and does not address any concomitant rectocele. This video was designed to demonstrate a novel surgical method that uses porcine collagen implants (Permacol), designed to correct internal rectal prolapse, with or without rectocele. INCLUSION CRITERIA: severe rectal evacuatory dysfunction refractory to maximal conservative therapy and full-thickness internal rectal prolapse impeding rectal emptying on defecography with or without associated functional rectocoele; normal colonic transit. Patients undergo comprehensive preoperative and postoperative symptomatic assessment and anorectal physiologic testing, including defecography. A crescenteric perineal skin incision allows development of the rectovaginal/rectoprostatic plane to Denonvilliers fascia, with rectal mobilization. A curved tunneller inserted via the perineal wound is guided retropubically to emerge through suprapubic wounds created on each side. Permacol T-strips are sutured to the anterolateral rectal wall bilaterally, upward traction exerted, and the stem of each T-strip is sutured to the suprapubic periosteum, suspending the rectum. Concomitant rectocele is repaired using a Permacol patch in the rectovaginal plane. RESULTS: Short-term results for the "Express" are encouraging with improvement in evacuatory and prolapse symptoms and concomitant anatomic improvement at defecography. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure promises to be an effective technique for managing patients with refractory evacuatory dysfunction secondary to internal rectal prolapse, with or without rectocele.

Rectal intussusception: characterization of symptomatology.

PURPOSE: Rectal intussusception is a common finding at evacuation proctography; however, its significance has been debated. This study was designed to characterize clinically and physiologically a large group of patients with rectal intussusception and test the hypothesis that certain symptoms are predictive of this finding on evacuation proctography. METHODS: A total of 896 patients underwent evacuation proctography from which three groups were identified: those with isolated rectal intussusception (n = 125), those with isolated rectocele (n = 100), and those with both abnormalities (n = 152). Multivariate analyses were used to identify symptoms predictive of findings by evacuation proctography. RESULTS: The symptoms of anorectal pain and prolapse were highly predictive of the finding of isolated intussusception over rectocele (odds ratio, 3.6, P = 0.006; odds ratio, 4.9, P < 0.001) or combined intussusception and rectocele (odds ratio, 2.9, P = 0.02; odds ratio, 2.4, P = 0.03). The symptom of "toilet revisiting" was associated with the finding of rectoanal intussusception (odds ratio, 3.55, P = 0.04). Although patients with mechanically obstructing intussuscepta evacuated slower and less completely (P < 0.001) than those with nonobstructing intussuscepta, no symptom was predictive of this finding on evacuation proctography. CONCLUSIONS: Although certain symptoms are predictive of the finding of rectal intussusception, there is a wide overlap with symptoms of rectocele, another common cause of evacuatory dysfunction. Furthermore, the observation that "obstruction to evacuation" made on proctography had no impact on the incidence of evacuatory symptoms suggests that beyond simply demonstrating the presence of an intussusception, analysis of proctography and subclassifying intussusception morphology seems of little clinical significance, and selection for surgical intervention on the basis of proctographic findings may be illogical.

Rectal intussusception: a study of rectal biomechanics and visceroperception.

OBJECTIVES: Rectal intussusception (RI) is a significant cause of morbidity amongst those with a rectal evacuatory disorder. The pathophysiology is unknown, but may involve abnormal biomechanics of the rectal wall similar to that previously demonstrated in patients with overt rectal prolapse (RP). Using an electromechanical barostat, this study aimed to investigate the biomechanics and visceroperception of the rectal wall in patients with RI. METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients (12 females, median age 46 yr (range 24-66)) with symptomatic, full-thickness RI were studied. Patients underwent assessment of rectal compliance, visceroperception, adaptive response to isobaric distension at urge threshold, and assessment of the postprandial response. Results were compared with those obtained in 28 asymptomatic volunteers, 10 with RI (6 females, median age 29 yr (range 21-36)) and 18 (9 females, median age 33 yr (range 21-62)) without. RESULTS: In the absence of the clinical finding of solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS), patients with symptomatic RI have normal rectal wall biomechanics, as do asymptomatic volunteers with RI (p < 0.05). Patients with the clinical finding of SRUS had reduced compliance and adaptation. In all three groups, there was a linear relationship between rectal pressure and visceroperception. The postprandial contractile response was similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with RI have normal rectal wall biomechanics. This is in contrast to patients with RP, and suggests that while they may represent different stages of the same disease process, they are physiologically distinct. In patients with RI and SRUS, rectal wall inflammation and fibrosis, perhaps arising secondary to the intussusception, may explain the physiological changes observed.

Rectal hyposensitivity: a disorder of the rectal wall or the afferent pathway? An assessment using the barostat.

OBJECTIVES: Rectal hyposensitivity (RH) relates to a diminished perception of rectal distension. Diagnosis on the basis of abnormal threshold volumes on balloon distension alone may be inaccurate due to the influence of differing rectal wall properties. The aim of this study was to investigate whether RH was actually due to impaired afferent nerve function or whether it could be secondary to abnormalities of the rectal wall. METHODS: A total of 50 patients were referred consecutively to a tertiary referral unit for physiologic assessment of constipation (Rome II criteria), 25 of whom had associated fecal incontinence. Thirty patients had RH (elevated threshold volumes on latex balloon distension), and 20 patients had normal rectal sensation (NS). Results were compared with those obtained in 20 healthy volunteers (HV). All subjects underwent standard anorectal physiologic investigation, and assessment of rectal compliance, adaptive response to isobaric distension at urge threshold, and postprandial rectal response, using an electromechanical barostat. RESULTS: Mean rectal compliance was significantly elevated in patients with RH compared to NS and HV (p < 0.001). However, 16 patients with RH (53%) had normal compliance. Intensity of the urge to defecate during random phasic isobaric distensions was significantly reduced in patients with RH compared to NS and HV (p < 0.001). The adaptive response at urge threshold was reduced in patients with RH compared to NS and HV (p < 0.001), although spontaneous adaptation at operating pressure was similar in all three groups studied (p= 0.3). Postprandially, responses were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients found to have RH on simple balloon distension, impaired perception of rectal distension may be partly explained in one subgroup by abnormal rectal compliance. However, a second subgroup exists with normal rectal wall properties, suggestive of a true impairment of the afferent pathway. The barostat has an important role in the identification of these subgroups of patients.

Full-thickness pouch prolapse after restorative proctocolectomy: a potential future problem treated by the new technique of external pelvic neorectal suspension (the Express procedure).

Full thickness pouch prolapse following restroative proctocolectomy is an uncommon complication but likely to become more frequent as this population of patients grows older. Conventional procedures to correct the prolapse may be impossible or significantly risk permanent ileostomy formation. The Express technique which is relatively minimally invasive, is a perineal procedure which elevates and suspends the antero-lateral walls of the prolapsing pouch to the external surface of the pelvis, utilizing strips of long lasting collagen.

Anal sphincter morphology in patients with full-thickness rectal prolapse.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the morphologic change of the anal canal in patients with rectal prolapse. METHODS: The endoanal ultrasound scans of 18 patients with rectal prolapse were compared with those of 23 asymptomatic controls. The thickness and area of the internal anal sphincter and submucosa were measured at three levels. RESULTS: Qualitatively, patients with rectal prolapse showed a characteristic elliptical morphology in the anal canal with anterior/posterior submucosal distortion accounting for most of the change. Quantitatively, internal anal sphincter (IAS) and submucosa (SM) thicknesses and area were greater in all quadrants of the anal canal (especially upper) in patients with rectal prolapse compared with controls. There was statistical evidence (in a regression model) of a relationship between increases in all measured variables and the finding of rectal prolapse. CONCLUSIONS: The cause of sphincter distortion in rectal prolapse is unknown but may be a response to increased mechanical stress placed on the sphincter from the prolapse or an abnormal response by the sphincter complex to the prolapse. Patients found to have this feature on endoanal ultrasound should undergo clinical examination and defecography to look for rectal wall abnormalities.