[Ultrasound findings in spontaneous and postoperative anal pain]. / Hallazgos ecográficos en la proctalgia espontánea u postoperatoria.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of endoanal ultrasounds to identify anal pain etiology in patients with either spontaneous or post-operative pain, and to review the most frequent causes. METHODS: A descriptive study of ultrasound findings in patients with anal pain during the last six years was performed. All ultrasound scans were performed using a B&K Diagnostic Ultrasound System (Cheetah 2003, B&K Medical, Gentofte, Denmark) with a 7-MHz endoprobe providing 360 degrees images. RESULTS: Ninety-five cases of anal pain were studied by endoanal ultrasonography. Sixty-seven cases of anal pain ocurred in patients with previous perineal or pelvic surgery anal fissure (48), Hemorrhoidectomy (12), episiotomy (4), fistula (2), and prostatectomy (1). After fissure surgery, incomplete sphincterotomy was the first cause of anal pain. Twenty-eight patients had no previous surgery, and more than 57.14% of them were found to have internal anal sphincter hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with anal pain can be studied by endoanal ultrasounds in spite of the use of an endoprobe. With this exploration a cause of pain is found in 81.93% of cases. Internal anal sphincter hypertrophy is the most frequent finding associated with spontaneous anal pain.