Qualitative Point-of-Care Ultrasound Enema Management for Constipation.

ABSTRACT: We discuss 10 cases where the qualitative evaluation of hard stool in the rectum with point-of-care ultrasound helped guide enema administration in a pediatric emergency department. Point-of-care ultrasound findings were especially valuable in cases where the presenting symptoms were undifferentiated, a language barrier was present, or the guardian and child denied that constipation was an active problem. When sodium phosphate enema administration was done in the pediatric emergency department, evacuation of the rectal stool burden was observed in most cases before final disposition.

Concordance of MRI With Pathology for Primary Staging of Rectal Cancer in Routine Clinical Practice: A Single Institution Experience.

PURPOSE: MRI is the preferred imaging modality for primary staging of rectal cancer, used to guide treatment. Patients identified with clinical stage I disease receive upfront surgical resection; those with clinical stage II or greater undergo upfront neoadjuvant therapy. Although clinical under-/over-staging may have consequences for patients and presents opportunities for organ preservation, the correlation between clinical and pathologic staging in routine clinical practice within a single institute has not been fully established. METHODS: This retrospective, Institutional Review Board-approved study, conducted at a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center with a multi-disciplinary rectal cancer disease center, included patients undergoing rectal MRI for primary staging January 1, 2018-August 30, 2020. Data collection included patient demographics, initial clinical stage via MRI report, pathologic diagnosis, pathologic stage, and treatment. The primary outcome was concordance of overall clinical and pathologic staging. Secondary outcomes included reasons for mismatched staging. RESULTS: A total 105 rectal adenocarcinoma patients (64 males, mean age 57 ± 12.7 years) had staging MRI followed by surgical resection. A total of 28 patients (27%) had mismatched under-/over- staging. Ten patients (10%) were understaged with mismatched T stage group (clinical stage I, pathologic stage II), five (5%) were understaged with mismatched N stage group (clinical stage I, pathologic stage III), and 13 (12%) were overstaged (clinical stage II-III, pathologic stage 0-I). Treatment matched concordance between clinical and pathologic stages was 86%. CONCLUSION: MRI for primary rectal cancer staging has high concordance with pathology. Future studies to assess strategies for reducing clinically relevant understaging would be beneficial.

Adult Hirschsprung's disease presenting as chronic constipation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital disorder identified by the absence of ganglion cells at the Meissner's plexus of the submucosa and Auerbach's plexus of the muscularis. This disease can be found in approximately 1 in 5000 live births. It is a congenital disorder that is rarely diagnosed in adults, where 95% of cases are diagnosed in infants aged under 1 year old. Here we present a rare case of adult Hirschsprung's disease to enrich the body of knowledge  in diagnosing adult patients with chronic refractory constipation symptoms. CASE REPORT: An 18-year-old Indonesian woman came to the general surgery department of Unggul Karsa Medika Teaching Hospital with a defecating problem (constipation) since childhood. There was no history of her passage of meconium. A contrast enema study showed that the sigmoid colon was dilated and the rectum was narrowed, with rectosigmoid index < 1. With these findings, it was suspected that the patient may have ultra-short segment Hirschsprung's disease. The patient was then referred to the digestive surgery department of referral hospital for surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: In adult patients presenting with history of constipation since childhood, it is necessary to consider the possibility of Hirschsprung's disease that was not diagnosed in early childhood. Hirschsprung's disease in adults is usually a short or ultra-short aganglionic segment because it shows relatively mild symptoms. Surgical removal of the aganglionic segment of the gut is the definitive treatment for Hirschsprung's disease.

Rare presentation and retrograde diagnosis of total colonic aganglionosis in a female infant: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Total colonic aganglionosis is an extremely rare variant of Hirschsprung's disease, which is predominant in males and can be seen in 1:50,000 live births. The presented case not only depicts a rare case, but also unusual clinical, laboratory, and instrumental data. CASE PRESENTATION: A 2-day-old Caucasian female newborn was transferred to our hospital from maternity. The initial presentation was reverse peristalsis, abdominal distention, and inability to pass stool. Fever had started before the patient was transferred. Hirschsprung's disease was suspected, and tests such as contrast enema and rectal suction biopsy were done. Before enterostomy, the management of the disease included fluid resuscitation, colonic irrigation, antibiotic administration, enteral feeding, and supportive therapy. During ileostomy operation, no transition zone was visualized and full-thickness biopsy samples were retrieved from the rectum and descending colon. After surgical intervention, status significantly improved-defervescence and weight gain most importantly improved. CONCLUSION: It is well known that diagnosis of total colonic aganglionosis may be delayed for months or even years since the transition zone may not be visible and rectal suction biopsy, unlike full-thickness biopsy, is not always reliable. It might be more prudent not to be derailed because of negative radiography and rectal suction biopsy. Also, doctors should be more suspicious of the disease if signs and symptoms are starting to be consistent with Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis, despite biopsy and radiology results.

Pictorial review: radiological diagnosis of anastomotic leakage with water-soluble contrast enema after anterior resection of the rectum.

For patients who have undergone colorectal surgery, anastomotic leakage is a serious and challenging complication with a variable rate ranging between 1.8% and 19.2%. Postoperative anastomotic leaks after colorectal surgery can have severe consequences for patients, particularly ones who present with few or no symptoms. Computed tomography and/or water-soluble contrast enema (WSE) are the most frequently utilized imaging methods to identify and diagnose anastomotic leaks early. WSE is a safe and complication-free procedure that allows to identify the presence of otherwise unrecognized anastomotic leaks, both in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Fluoroscopic rectal examination using a water-soluble contrast agent for postoperative patients is never an easy examination to perform since it requires careful preparation, skill, and knowledge. Four morphological types of anastomotic dispersion have been described: "saccular type", "horny type", "serpentine type" and "dendritic type". Among 4 types of leakage, dendritic and serpentine types are more frequently followed by clinical symptoms and none of the dendritic type resolves spontaneously. On the other hand, the saccular and horny types have a better prognosis after healing of the loss and subsequent restoration of the ostomy as they consist of a cavity that provides a sort of physical barrier to the spread of inflammation. The aim of this pictorial essay was to illustrate the spectrum of imaging findings of morphological types of radiologic leakages on WCE in patients with colorectal surgical anastomosis. We have also tried to provide tips and tools to enable identification of radiological leakages on retrograde WCE, particularly of the smallest leaks which can be more easily missed.

Preservation of superior rectal artery in laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis for slow transit constipation.

BACKGROUND: Slow transit constipation (STC) has traditionally been considered as a functional disorder. However, evidence is accumulating that suggests that most of the motility alterations in STC might be of a neuropathic etiology. If the patient does not meet the diagnosis of pelvic outlet obstruction and poorly response to conservative treatment, surgical intervention with subtotal colectomy may be effective. The most unwanted complication of the procedure is anastomotic leakage, however, preservation of the superior rectal artery (SRA) may reduce its incidence. AIM: To evaluate the preservation of the SRA in laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis in STC patients. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective observational study. STC was diagnosed after a series of examinations which included a colonic transit test, anal manometry, a balloon expulsion test, and a barium enema. Eligible patients underwent laparoscopically assisted total colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis and were examined between January 2016 and January 2018. The operation time, blood loss, time to first flatus, length of hospital days, and incidence of minor or major complications were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients (mean age, 42.6 years) who had received laparoscopic assisted subtotal colectomy with ileorectal artery anastomosis and preservation of the SRA. All patients were diagnosed with STC after a series of examinations. The mean operative time was 151 min and the mean blood loss was 119 mL. The mean day of first time to flatus was 3.0 d, and the mean hospital stay was 10.6 d. There were no any patients conversions to laparotomy. Post-operative minor complications including 1 wound infection and 1 case of ileus. There was no surgical mortality. No anastomosis leakage was noted in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopically assisted subtotal colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis and preservation of the SRA can significantly improve bowel function with careful patient selection. Sparing the SRA may protect against anastomosis leakage.

MRI Staging in an Evolving Management Paradigm for Rectal Cancer, From the AJR Special Series on Cancer Staging.

The treatment of rectal cancer centers around the distinct but related goals of management of distant metastases and management of local disease. Optimal local management requires attention to the primary tumor and its anatomic relationship to surrounding pelvic structures, with the goal of minimizing local recurrence (LR). High-resolution MRI is ideally suited for this purpose; application of MRI-based criteria in conjunction with optimized surgical and pathologic techniques has successfully reduced LR rates. This success has led to a shift away from using the TNM-based National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines as the sole determinant of whether a patient receives neoadjuvant chemoradiation. The new model uses a hybrid approach for assigning risk categories that combines elements of the TNM staging system with MRI-based anatomic features. These risk categories incorporate tumor proximity to the circumferential resection margin, T category, distance to the anal verge, and presence of extramural venous invasion to classify rectal tumors as low, intermediate, or high risk. This approach has been validated by accumulated data from numerous multiinstitutional studies. This article illustrates key anatomic concepts, depicts common interpretive errors and pitfalls, and discusses ongoing limitations; these insights should guide radiologists in optimal rectal MRI interpretation.

Skip segment Hirschsprung's disease: diagnostic clues and surgical management.

It is challenging to establish a definitive diagnosis and initiate timely management for skip segment Hirschsprung's disease (SSHD). Herein, we report three cases of SSHD at our institution between December 2008 and March 2018. Patient #1 was misdiagnosed and underwent three successive operations within 2 years. Patient #2 and #3 were diagnosed timely based on previous experience. A segmental narrowing detected by barium enema may raise the possibility of SSHD. Laparoscopic-guided multipoint biopsy is regarded as a mini-invasive and purposeful way to take representative samples after locating the segmental narrowing intraoperatively and accurate the final diagnosis. The laparoscopic-assisted pull-through procedure with radical resection from the distal rectum to the most proximal margin of the diseased skip segment is safe and effective in treating patients with SSHD.Level of evidence: Level III.

Pulsion diverticula of the rectum: Radiological diagnosis and clinical implications.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to investigate the appearance of acquired rectal diverticula on barium enema and computed tomography (CT) and to review the pertinent clinical data about this entity. METHODS: This series included 3 men and 6 women, who ranged in age from 47 to 82 years (average: 64 years). Air-contrast barium enema in 6 patients with history of anorectal disease or obstructed defecation demonstrated rectal diverticula. In these cases, multiple radiographs of the rectosigmoid region were obtained in upright position while the patient was relaxing or straining without any attempt to evacuate the barium. In 3 cases, the lateral rectal diverticula were incidental finding on CT studies that were performed for various unrelated abdominal complaints. RESULTS: Pulsion type of diverticulum presenting as a wide-neck outpouching was detected on the lateral rectal wall in 5 and on the posterior wall in 4 patients. They measured 2-3 cm in diameter when filled with contrast material or gas, and became even larger when the intraluminal pressure was increased by straining. CONCLUSION: Pulsion diverticula of the rectum present as a wide-neck outpouching of the lateral or posterior rectal wall in adult patients. This acquired abnormality is usually associated with coexisting anorectal lesions or defecation disorders. The practising radiologists and colorectal surgeons should be aware of this uncommon condition, its appearance on barium enema and other imaging studies, and its clinical implications.

A case of Currarino syndrome in an adult female presenting with refractory chronic constipation.

We present the case of a 25-year-old female who presented due to refractory chronic constipation and fecal incontinence. She had bowel movements every 7-30 days with an increased consistency (1-2 Bristol type stools), together with soiling and passive fecal incontinence (Wexner Scale: 12/20). She had previously undergone surgery shortly after birth for an anorectal malformation repair. The colonoscopy and histological study of the rectum were normal. A pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, which showed a right pararectal mass that compressed the rectum without invading it. This mass was compatible with a presacral teratoma or hamartoma. MRI also revealed coccyx agenesis and hypoplasia of the last sacral vertebrae (Image 1), which were consistent with Currarino syndrome (CS). The patient received 14 sessions of transcutaneous electrostimulation of the posterior tibial nerve, resulting in an increase in bowel movements (every 3 days) and a reduction in fecal incontinence. She was then referred to surgery for presacral mass removal.

Reporting Templates for MRI and Water-Soluble Contrast Enema in Patients With Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis: Experience From a Large Referral Center.

Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) surgery is the reference standard surgical procedure for treatment of ulcerative colitis and most patients with familial adenomatous polyposis. This procedure allows preservation of fecal continence and gastrointestinal continuity. However, it is associated with a wide variety of complications, which often have nonspecific and overlapping clinical presentations, making imaging an important part of workup for pouch dysfunction. The purpose of this article is to propose structured reporting templates for MRI and water-soluble contrast enema (WSCE), based on our referral pouch center's experience, in patients who have undergone IPAA surgery. We review salient surgical technique, pouch anatomy, and imaging protocols, with an emphasis on a systematic search pattern for evaluation of ileal pouch complications using proposed structured reporting templates for MRI and WSCE.

Predictability of 48-h delayed retention of contrast in barium enema in cases of chronic constipation.

INTRODUCTION: Diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease depends on rectal biopsy. This study was designed to find an alternate diagnostic modality to exclude Hirschsprung's disease. AIM: The aim of this study was to find the predictive value of delayed retention of contrast in excluding Hirschsprung's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All cases of chronic constipation presenting during the study duration from June 2014 to June 2016 were included. Those without any obvious history of conservative management were excluded. Parameters considered in barium enema were initial film, routine films, and delayed retention of contrast at 24, 48, and 72 h. They were then subjected to rectal biopsy. The results of rectal biopsy and barium enema were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-eight patients presented during the study duration. One hundred and twenty-eight formed the study group. The average age of presentation was 48 months (range, 1-144). The average duration of prior medical management was 8 months (range, 6-48 months). Forty-two cases were diagnosed as Hirschsprung's disease on rectal biopsy. The symptoms resolved in 31 cases after rectal biopsy and 42 cases after definitive surgery. In the remaining 55 cases, dietary modification along with laxatives was instituted, and they were kept under follow-up. The average follow-up was 12 months (range, 6-48 months). Of the various parameters in barium enema, delayed retention of contrast at 48 h had the highest negative predictive value of 99.67%. CONCLUSION: Delayed retention of contrast at 48 h has the highest negative predictive value in excluding Hirschsprung's disease. This can safely be used to exclude Hirschsprung's disease in cases of chronic constipation.

Magnetic Resonance Rectal Enema Versus Computed Tomographic Colonography in the Diagnosis of Rectosigmoid Endometriosis.

OBJECTIVES: Rectosigmoid involvement by endometriosis causes intestinal symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, and dyschezia. A precise diagnosis about the presence, location, and extent of bowel implants is required to plan the most appropriate treatment. The aim of the study was to compare the accuracy of magnetic resonance with distension of the rectosigmoid (MR-e) with computed colonography (CTC) for diagnosing rectosigmoid endometriosis. METHODS: This study was based on the retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database of patients with suspicion of rectosigmoid endometriosis who underwent both MR-e and CTC, and subsequently were treated by laparoscopy. The findings of imaging techniques were compared with surgical and histological results. RESULTS: Of 90 women included in the study, 44 (48.9%) had rectosigmoid nodules and underwent bowel surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis were 88.6%, 93.5%, 92.9%, 89.6%, and 91.1% for CTC, and 93.2%, 97.9%, 97.6%, 93.8%, and 95.6% for MR-e. There was no significant difference in the accuracy of both radiologic examinations for diagnosing rectosigmoid endometriosis (P = 0.344). However, MR-e was more accurate than CTC in estimating the largest diameter of the main rectosigmoid nodule (P < 0.001). The pain perceived by the patients was significantly lower during MR-e than during CTC (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MR-e and CTC have similar diagnostic performance for the diagnosis of rectosigmoid involvement of endometriosis. However, MR-e is more accurate in the estimation of the largest diameter of main rectosigmoid nodule and more tolerated than CTC.

Current Status of the Management of Stage I Rectal Cancer.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To summarize the current available treatments for stage I rectal cancer and the evidence that supports them. RECENT FINDINGS: Radical surgery, or total mesorectal excision (TME) without neoadjuvant therapy, reports excellent oncologic outcomes, with 5-year disease-free survival of approximately 95%. Alternative therapies include local excision, which has acceptable long-term outcomes in some low-risk T1 tumors; but overall local excision, with or without additional chemotherapy or radiation, generally reports 5-year disease-free survival less than TME alone. New research is showing complete clinical response rates of 67% with chemoradiation combined with additional consolidation chemotherapy in T2 lesions, making watch and wait a potential strategy for stage I tumors. Owing to its superior oncologic outcomes, radical surgery remains the mainstay of treatment for stage I tumors. Both local excision and watch and wait have advantages that may make them useful in individual patients and should be considered under the right circumstances.

The relationship between obstructed defecation and true rectocele in patients with pelvic organ prolapse.

We aimed to investigate the prevalence of true rectocele and obstructed defecation (OD) in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP), to investigate the correlation between true rectocele and OD, and to understand the diagnostic value of translabial ultrasound (TLUS) in the diagnosis of true rectocele. The patients who scheduled for POP surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients who had previous reconstructive pelvic surgery or repair of rectocele were excluded. Birmingham Bowel and Urinary symptoms questionnaires and Longo's obstructed defecation syndrome scoring system were used to assess the bowel symptoms of patients. TLUS was used to evaluate anatomical defects. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant, and confidence intervals were set at 95%. 279 patients were included into this study. The prevalence rate of OD was 43%, and the average value of ODS score was 6.67. 17% patients presented straining at stool, 33% presented incomplete emptying, 13% presented digitations, and 12% required laxatives or enema. The prevalence rate of true rectocele was 23%. Defecation symptoms were significantly correlated with age, levator-ani hiatus, levator-ani muscle injury and true rectocele. Logistic regression showed that true rectocele and increased levator-ani hiatus were independent risk factors of OD. True rectocele was significantly correlated with straining at stool, digitation, incomplete emptying and requirement of laxatives or enema.In POP patients, the prevalence rate of true rectocele and OD was 23% and 43%, respectively. True rectocele was related to OD. TLUS was a valuable approach in anatomical evaluation of POP.

Mechanisms, Evaluation, and Management of Chronic Constipation.

With a worldwide prevalence of 15%, chronic constipation is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal diagnoses made in ambulatory medicine clinics, and is a common source cause for referrals to gastroenterologists and colorectal surgeons in the United States. Symptoms vary among patients; straining, incomplete evacuation, and a sense of anorectal blockage are just as important as decreased stool frequency. Chronic constipation is either a primary disorder (such as normal transit, slow transit, or defecatory disorders) or a secondary one (due to medications or, in rare cases, anatomic alterations). Colonic sensorimotor disturbances and pelvic floor dysfunction (such as defecatory disorders) are the most widely recognized pathogenic mechanisms. Guided by efficacy and cost, management of constipation should begin with dietary fiber supplementation and stimulant and/or osmotic laxatives, as appropriate, followed, if necessary, by intestinal secretagogues and/or prokinetic agents. Peripherally acting µ-opiate antagonists are another option for opioid-induced constipation. Anorectal tests to evaluate for defecatory disorders should be performed in patients who do not respond to over-the-counter agents. Colonic transit, followed if necessary with assessment of colonic motility with manometry and/or a barostat, can identify colonic dysmotility. Defecatory disorders often respond to biofeedback therapy. For specific patients, slow-transit constipation may necessitate a colectomy. No studies have compared inexpensive laxatives with newer drugs with different mechanisms. We review the mechanisms, evaluation, and management of chronic constipation. We discuss the importance of meticulous analyses of patient history and physical examination, advantages and disadvantages of diagnostic testing, guidance for individualized treatment, and management of medically refractory patients.

IDEAL study: magnetic resonance imaging for suspected deep endometriosis assessment prior to laparoscopy is as reliable as radiological imaging as a complement to transvaginal ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the value of using one-stop magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vs standard radiological imaging as a supplement to transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) for the preoperative assessment of patients with endometriosis referred for surgery in a tertiary care academic center. METHODS: This prospective observational study compared the diagnostic value of the standard preoperative imaging practice of our center, which involves expert TVS complemented by intravenous urography (IVU) for the evaluation of the ureters and double-contrast barium enema (DCBE) for the evaluation of the rectum, sigmoid and cecum, with that of expert TVS complemented by a 'one-stop' MRI examination evaluating the upper abdomen, pelvis, kidneys and ureters as well as rectum and sigmoid on the same day, for the preoperative triaging of 74 women with clinically suspected deep endometriosis. The findings at laparoscopy were considered the reference standard. Patients were stratified according to their need for monodisciplinary surgical approach, carried out by gynecologists only, or multidisciplinary surgical approach, involving abdominal surgeons and/or urologists, based on the extent to which endometriosis affected the reproductive organs, bowel, ureters, bladder or other abdominal organs. RESULTS: Our standard preoperative imaging approach and the combined findings of TVS and MRI had similar diagnostic performance, resulting in correct stratification for a monodisciplinary or a multidisciplinary surgical approach of 67/74 (90.5%) patients. However, there were differences between the estimation of the severity of disease by DCBE and MRI. The severity of rectal involvement was underestimated in 2.7% of the patients by both TVS and DCBE, whereas it was overestimated in 6.8% of the patients by TVS and/or DCBE. CONCLUSIONS: Complementary to expert TVS, 'one-stop' MRI can predict intraoperative findings equally well as standard radiological imaging (IVU and DCBE) in patients referred for endometriosis surgery in a tertiary care academic center. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of interval between preoperative radiotherapy and surgery on clinical outcome and radiation proctitis in rectal cancer from FOWARC trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the interval between CRT and surgery on radiation proctitis, the pathologic response, and postoperative morbidity. METHODS: This was a cohort study from a phase III, randomized controlled trial (FOWARC study, NCT01211210). Data were retrieved from the leading center of the trial. Patients were divided into the short-interval (≤7 weeks) group and the long-interval (>7 weeks) group. The rate of radiation proctitis, pathologic complete regression (pCR) and morbidities were calculated for each group. Multivariate analysis was used to verify the impact of interval on radiation proctitis. RESULTS: Surgery was performed in 60 patients after an interval of ≤7 weeks and in 97 patients after an interval of >7 weeks. The two groups according to interval were comparable in terms of baseline demographic and clinicotherapeutic characteristics. Radiation proctitis was identified by imaging in 9 (15.0%) patients in short-interval group and in 31 (32.0%) patients in long-interval group (P = .018). Multivariate analysis confirmed the correlation between long interval and radiation proctitis (P = .018). The long interval was significantly associated with longer median operation time compared to the short interval (P = .022). The rates of pCR and postoperative complications were not different between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: A longer interval after CRT may be associated with higher rate of radiation proctitis and longer operation time. Moreover it did not increase the rate of pCR.